What is Starshield, SpaceX’s military-grade Starlink system, and how will its restriction affect Ukraine?

A Ukrainian soldier disconnects his Starlink unit near the frontline region of Kreminna. Photograph: Clodagh Kilcoyne/ReutersView image in fullscreenA Ukrainian soldier disconnects his Starlink unit near the frontline region of Kreminna. Photograph: Clodagh Kilcoyne/ReutersExplainerWhat is Starshield, SpaceX’s military-grade Starlink system, and how will its restriction affect Ukraine?Zelenskyy frames sudden shift as a betrayal by Trump, as spotlight turns on how Elon Musk’s SpaceX and the Pentagon control the crucial service

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused SpaceX of restricting access to its military-grade Starlink service, in effect hobbling Ukrainian drone strike missions and crucial air defences with a flick of the switch.

The development – and its dire consequences for Ukraine – has put the spotlight on Starlink -SpaceX’s commercial satellite internet service – and Starshield, a powerful military version developed by Elon Musk’s company for the Pentagon.

Read moreHere’s what we know about the two SpaceX systems, how they are controlled and why Zelenskyy has framed the shift as a betrayal by Donald Trump and the US.

On Tuesday night, Ukraine’s military reported the Starlink satellite communications system, produced by SpaceX but managed by the US government, was no longer working on terminals moving at speeds greater than 100mph (160km/h).

Kyiv installs SpaceX Starlink receptors in many of its drones as part of an onboard guidance system. Kyiv said the change was imposed without any explanation from the US.

The restriction had two immediate consequences: It effectively rendered most of the drones used by Ukraine to strike behind the frontlines inoperable and it hampered air defence systems that stop Russian drones bombarding Kyiv.

Ukraine uses Starlink systems to direct many mid-range drones towards their targets – a critical frontline offensive capability. Russian Shaheds fly at speeds close to 200mph, so the new restriction means Ukrainian interceptor drones have no chance to chase them down.

Starlink is not used for long-range Ukrainian missions that have successfully targeted Russian oil refineries in recent months.

View image in fullscreenA Ukrainian air defence unit intercepts a Shahed drone during an attack on Kyiv. Photograph: Evgeniy Maloletka/APWhat is Starshield?Starshield is a SpaceX business unit that develops military and intelligence satellite systems for the Pentagon. Starshield’s service is separate from Starlink’s commercial broadband service, but the distinction is sometimes blurry.

Starlink cannot be used for offensive military action, SpaceX says, only defensive activities or for use by civilian clients.

Starshield, however, allows those capabilities and uses enhanced encryption to transmit sensitive information. In addition, Starshield provides users with the ability to integrate sensors on object like drones. Starshield’s secure communications rely on Starlink, the vast network of 11,000 satellites that Musk and SpaceX have sent into space since 2019.

Musk said the Ukrainian military was linked to Starshield, because Starlink is not licensed to clients who are using weapons. He added that any Starshield disruptions being experienced by Ukraine would be the responsibility of the US government, not SpaceX. “Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS,” Musk said, referring to Donald Trump.

View image in fullscreenA Ukrainian serviceman prepares a Starlink satellite at his positions at the frontline. Photograph: ReutersThe White House has not confirmed or denied Musk’s assertion. But the Trump administration has been pressuring Ukraine to limit its strikes on energy targets inside Russia.

Zelenskyy said he felt personally betrayed by Trump, in an interview with Piers Morgan, saying Kyiv was “losing a strong partner”. As for what it meant for Ukraine and its people, Zelenskyy said: “This decision will bring a lot of human losses … of course, people will die.”

In the US, Democrats denounced the Trump administration. “Trump’s making a choice – and it directly aids Putin’s slaughter of Ukrainian civilians,” House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats said in a post on X, describing the restrictions as “unconscionable”.

Republican senator Tom Tillis voiced his concern on X: “Supporting Ukrainian sovereignty – or at the very least, allowing for it – should not be a gray area for the US government or for American corporations.”