Satellite Limits Cost Lives in Ukraine, PM Warns

Ordinary residents in Ukraine are facing greater risks during enemy attacks after a partial loss of access to critical satellite communications. Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters in Istanbul on Friday that these technical restrictions are directly costing lives. He described the situation as one where a nation is fighting for the survival of its citizens while dealing with aggressive military pressure from a neighbor.

Ukrainian officials reported early last week that they had lost part of their access to Starshield. This is the military version of the Starlink satellite network, which is owned and operated by Elon Musk’s company SpaceX. Ukraine relies on this system to track incoming missiles and jet-powered drones. It also guides interceptor and spy drones, while the commercial Starlink service handles essential internal communications for the country.

The specific origin of the restriction order remains a point of dispute among key figures. Reuters reported last week that two U.S. officials indicated the order came from inside the White House. The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Musk ordered the move personally. Musk has stated that Starshield is owned and controlled by the U.S. government and that the U.S. military, along with President Donald Trump, decides on such restrictions. Trump has denied issuing the order and said on Friday that he does not know who made the decision.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the restrictions have prevented his country from tracking drones and missiles traveling faster than 160 kilometers per hour. He explained that this gap has made it harder to repel Russian missile and jet drone attacks. Zelenskyy noted that these complications have led to civilian deaths, including children.

Carney agreed that the changes have real human consequences. He said some recent deaths are direct casualties of the reduced ability to track threats. He pointed to an attack in central Kyiv that occurred within the previous 36 hours. Carney called it a direct strike on citizens who had no military or quasi-military targets, resulting in immense human suffering.

There is conflicting information about the current status of the network. On Thursday, Trump said Musk had restored Ukraine's access. Zelenskyy contradicted this in a CNN interview, stating that the system still does not work. Ukrainian military officials also confirmed on Friday that the restrictions remain in place. In a recent NBC interview, Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian leaders believe the U.S. government sent a message to limit the speed, which SpaceX then carried out technically.

The dispute arrives during a period of strained relations between Kyiv and Washington. Trump is pushing Ukraine to accept stronger concessions in a potential peace deal. He has also urged Ukraine to stop strikes on Russian oil refineries. However, Starshield is not used on those specific drones because the network does not operate over Russian territory.

Carney used the situation to highlight broader lessons for Canada. Without naming Trump directly, he warned that relying on an ally that may change its view puts Canadians at risk. He said this realization drives decisions to diversify partnerships and build sovereign capabilities in Canada or with other partners. He noted this process will take time because Canada is currently highly reliant on specific systems in other countries. Zelenskyy is already working to reduce this reliance. On Thursday, he signed a letter of intent with Finnish companies Nokia and ICEYE to develop a Ukrainian satellite communications network.