What is Starshield, and who limited Ukraine’s access to it?

What the report says

Ukraine’s military satellite access was restored after a brief disruption that Al Jazeera said affected Starshield, the military-oriented version of SpaceX’s Starlink network. The report said the interruption was reported on Tuesday and Wednesday, and that Kyiv was still seeking clarity from SpaceX about what caused the problem. The development came as Ukraine continued to rely on satellite communications for battlefield intelligence, drone guidance, logistics and reconnaissance in its war with Russia.

Al Jazeera said the service is designed for military use and is controlled by the US government, according to Elon Musk, who denied SpaceX had independently limited Ukraine’s access. Musk said any restrictions on speed or use would be decided by the US military and ultimately the US president. Ukrainian officials, however, said the disruption affected missions and communications, and a Ukrainian defence adviser claimed SpaceX had imposed a speed cap that interfered with some drone operations.

The report places the episode in a wider backdrop of strained relations between Kyiv and Washington. It said Ukrainian officials have complained about a lack of warning before Russian missile strikes, while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has suggested the loss of access was intentional rather than technical. Al Jazeera also noted broader tensions over US pressure on Ukraine to limit attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, which Washington has linked to global fuel concerns.