Canada PM blames 160 km/h satellite limit for Kyiv deaths

Ukrainian officials state they cannot track any missile or drone traveling faster than 160 kilometres per hour. This speed limit blinds defense systems to fast threats, a gap that Prime Minister Mark Carney says has resulted in direct civilian deaths. Carney made these remarks on Friday while speaking in Istanbul. He described the situation as a matter of profound concern for his government.

The loss of tracking capability stems from restrictions on Starshield, the military version of the Starlink satellite network. Ukraine uses this system to guide interceptor drones and monitor incoming threats. Starlink, the commercial side of the network, continues to handle internal communications for the country. The network is owned and operated by SpaceX, the company of Elon Musk.

Carney questioned the logic behind the decision to cut off access. He said he searched for the right adjective to describe the decision makers. He noted that Ukraine is fighting for the lives of its citizens against naked aggression. Carney confirmed that some recent deaths were direct casualties of this reduced ability. He pointed to an attack in central Kyiv that occurred within the previous 36 hours. He called it a strike on citizens with no military target present.

Responsibility for the restriction remains disputed. Reuters reported that the order came from the White House. The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk ordered the move personally. Musk maintains that the U.S. government controls Starshield. He stated that commercial Starlink was not authorized for military use. President Donald Trump denied ordering the curbs on Friday. He said he did not know who issued the order and would not say even if he did.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the restrictions are still in effect. Trump claimed on Thursday that Musk had restored Ukraine's access. Zelenskyy contradicted this in a CNN interview, stating that the system still does not work. Ukrainian military officials confirmed on Friday that the limits remain. In an NBC interview on Sunday, Zelenskyy said he believes the U.S. government sent the message to limit speed, which SpaceX then implemented.

The dispute arises at a tense moment in relations between Kyiv and Washington. Trump is pressing Ukraine to accept stronger concessions in a peace deal. He has also asked Ukraine to stop striking Russian oil refineries. Starshield is not used on those specific drones because the system does not operate over Russian territory. Carney used the incident to argue for diversifying Canada's defense partnerships. He said Canada is highly reliant on systems in certain countries.

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 goal is to develop a sovereign Ukrainian satellite communications network.