FT: Starshield restrictions in Ukraine coincided with diplomatic contacts

Return of technical restrictions

Ukrainian military personnel have once again encountered the problem of reduced satellite communication speeds for Starshield, which is the military modification of the Starlink system. This was reported by the Financial Times newspaper.

According to the publication's data, the restrictions affected the operation of satellite terminals on high-speed platforms. Specifically, this concerns unmanned aerial vehicles in the service of Ukrainian forces.

Link to the peace process

The situation arose against the backdrop of deepening diplomatic contacts between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia. In Kyiv, it is assumed that the new restrictions may have been implemented to increase pressure on the Ukrainian side during peace negotiations on ending the war.

The authorities suspect that the repeated restriction of communications may be linked to attempts to influence the position of the Ukrainian delegation. At the same time, there is currently no public confirmation that the negotiations were the cause of this decision.