Satellite Curbs: Carney Blames Starlink Restrictions for Ukrainian Losses
The Canadian prime minister stated that limited access to military-grade satellite data has resulted in direct civilian casualties in Kyiv.
By Sarah Montgomery ·
Prime Minister Mark Carney stated on Friday that restrictions on Ukraine’s use of a military satellite network are directly causing civilian deaths.
Speaking from Istanbul, Carney expressed concern over the decision to limit access to Starshield, the military version of SpaceX’s Starlink system. He described the move as a failure of judgment by those responsible for the order.
Ukrainian officials reported early in the week that they lost partial access to Starshield. Ukraine utilizes this network to track incoming missiles and jet-powered drones. It also guides interceptor and spy drones. The commercial Starlink service, which handles internal communications, remained available.
Disagreement persists regarding who issued the order to restrict the network. Reuters reported last week, citing two U.S. officials, that the directive originated within the White House. The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Elon Musk personally ordered the change. Musk maintains that the U.S. government owns and controls Starshield. He stated that the U.S. military and President Donald Trump decide on restrictions, not the commercial entity.
President Trump denied ordering the curbs on Friday. He said he did not know who issued the command and would not reveal the information even if he did. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy countered these claims in a CNN interview, stating that the system still does not function properly for his forces.
Zelenskyy indicated that since the restrictions began, Ukraine cannot track drones or missiles traveling faster than 160 kilometers per hour. He said this limitation has made it harder to repel Russian attacks, leading to civilian deaths, including children. Ukrainian military officials confirmed on Friday that the restrictions remain in place.
Carney agreed that the restrictions have human consequences. He cited a recent attack in central Kyiv that occurred within the previous 36 hours. He called it a direct strike on citizens with no military target, resulting in immense suffering. He described some recent deaths as direct casualties of the reduced tracking ability.
The dispute over satellite access occurs during a period of tension between Kyiv and Washington. Trump has pressed Ukraine to accept stronger concessions in a peace deal and to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries. However, Starshield is not used for strikes over Russian territory, so the curbs do not directly affect those specific operations.
Zelenskyy is moving to reduce Ukraine’s dependence on the U.S. network. On Thursday, he signed a letter of intent with Finnish companies Nokia and ICEYE. The agreement aims to develop a Ukrainian satellite communications network. Carney noted that Canada is also building sovereign capabilities to reduce reliance on systems from other countries.
