Babel sources: “SpaceX” did not warn Ukraine about restrictions on the operation of the “military package” of “Starlink” terminals

On the night of October 14, “SpaceX” unilaterally restricted the operation of “Starshield” terminals, a military version of “Starlink” satellite communications. The Ukrainian Defense Forces were not notified of this decision.

Babel was informed about this by sources in the Ministry of Defense.

The limit was set at 160 kmph. This means that when a vehicle exceeds this speed, the terminal loses communication. At the same time, communication disappears at different speeds on different vehicles and in different units — from 72 kmph to 161 kmph.

Our sources emphasized that such restrictions complicate the work of UAV missions, in particular interceptors and middlestrikes, and also reduce opportunities for front-line logistics, reconnaissance, and relay.

Currently, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense is in contact with the US, “SpaceX”, and NATO partners, collecting data from all units. Separately, backup communication channels are being checked and involved.

• Presidential advisor Serhiy "Flash" Beskrestnov and blogger Serhiy Sternenko were the first to write about the disruptions in “Starlink” operations in the Ukrainian military.
• Earlier, the Financial Times, citing European officials, reported that the Trump administration was threatening to halt arms purchases for Ukraine in order to force Kyiv to stop attacking Russian oil refineries.
• The US also threatened to halt intelligence sharing and the PURL mechanism.

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