Zelensky Escalates Criticism of SpaceX Over Speed Caps

By Reuters Nov. 14, 2026 Telegram/V_Zelenskiy_official Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky escalated his criticism of SpaceX on Saturday, saying speed restrictions on its military-grade Starshield satellite terminals had dangerous political implications and undermined critical air defenses. Zelensky said Starshield terminals operating in temporarily Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine had been limited to a maximum speed of 161 kph for the past five days, hampering Ukraine's military capabilities. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has raised the issue with SpaceX at the institutional level, Zelensky said. "The restrictions have now been in place for five days. They say it is some kind of technical issue. We do not believe that is the case," Zelensky told reporters in remarks released by his office on Saturday. "If you impose restrictions there, you are already partially recognising the temporarily occupied territories as not ours. And that is why I believe we have the right to raise this issue and restore the speed — so that there are no restrictions at all." Zelensky said the speed restrictions made it more difficult for Ukrainian air defense units to intercept Russian jet-powered drones and made Ukrainian cities more vulnerable. He said he had ordered his top military and Foreign Ministry officials to address the issue and seek clarification. SpaceX has pushed back against the allegations, denying that it introduced new restrictions or made any changes to its satellite operations. It is the second such outage in recent weeks. In mid-October, Ukrainian officials said that SpaceX limited the speed of Starlink and its Starshield communication systems to about 160 kph (100 mph) amid tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump's administration over Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries. Service was then restored on Oct. 24. Read more about: Zelensky , Elon Musk , Ukraine war Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Kyiv Criticizes Musk for Making Fun of Zelensky Elon Musk posted a meme making fun of President Volodymyr Zelensky's repeated calls for Western military and financial aid to fight Russian forces, drawing... 1 Min read Zelensky Says Situation 'Most Difficult' Near Bakhmut in Donetsk Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday the situation was "the most difficult" near the eastern town of Bakhmut, a few days after pro-Russian... Ukraine's Zelensky Tours Kharkiv as Donbas Fight Rages The visit to frontline positions in Kharkiv marked Zelensky's first trip outside the capital. Russian Youth Agency Deputy Chief Arrested in Fraud Probe Denis Ashirov, who has served as the agency’s state secretary and deputy head since July 2022, faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of large-scale... 1 Min read