SpaceX has introduced a speed restriction affecting StarShield terminals used by Ukraine. According to Ukrainian sources, connectivity began to fail when platforms exceeded around 160 km/h, disrupting part of Ukraine’s combat missions. Later reports claimed that the restriction may have been tightened further, with some operators losing communication already at 60–70 km/h. If confirmed, that would no longer affect only fast strike drones, but also a much wider group of reconnaissance and tactical UAVs.
The first point is technical, but crucial. This is not a general shutdown of Starlink for the Ukrainian military. The issue concerns terminals used in motion, especially under the StarShield military package. The initial figure of around 160 km/h is important because it affects faster unmanned platforms, including strike systems and drones operating beyond classic radio-control range. A lower threshold of 60–70 km/h would be far more serious, because many ordinary tactical UAVs operate in that speed bracket.
