Canada's PM links Kyiv deaths to 160 km/h satellite tracking gap
Mark Carney argues a speed limit on Starshield access has left Ukrainian forces blind to fast-moving Russian attacks.
By Fatou Kim ·
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated on Friday that Ukrainian civilian deaths are a direct result of restricted access to the Starshield satellite network. Speaking in Istanbul, he criticized the decision-makers for limiting a tool that Ukraine uses to survive an active war.
Ukrainian officials reported early last week that they lost partial access to Starshield, the military-grade version of SpaceX's Starlink system. The network allows Ukraine to track incoming missiles and jet-powered drones while guiding its own interceptor and spy aircraft. Starlink, the commercial arm of the same system, continues to handle internal communications.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the restrictions prevent Ukraine from tracking any object moving faster than 160 kilometres per hour. This gap complicates the defense against Russian missile and drone strikes. Zelenskyy noted that the inability to track these high-speed threats has led to civilian casualties, including children.
Carney agreed with that assessment. He said the restrictions have real human consequences and that recent deaths are direct casualties of the reduced tracking ability. He cited an attack in central Kyiv that occurred within the previous 36 hours. He described it as a direct strike on citizens with no military target, causing immense suffering.
Responsibility for the curbs remains disputed. Reuters reported that two U.S. officials said the order came from the White House. The Wall Street Journal reported that Elon Musk ordered the move personally. Musk has stated that Starshield is owned by the U.S. government and that the U.S. military decides on restrictions. President Donald Trump denied ordering the curbs, saying on Friday that he did not know who was responsible.
The status of the access remains unclear. Trump said on Thursday that Musk had restored Ukraine's connection. Zelenskyy contradicted that in a CNN interview, stating the system still does not work. Ukrainian military officials confirmed on Friday that the restrictions are still in place. Zelenskyy said on NBC that he believes the U.S. government sent the message to limit the speed, which SpaceX then carried out technically.
Zelenskyy is working to reduce Ukraine's dependence on U.S. systems. On Thursday, he signed a letter of intent with Finnish companies Nokia and ICEYE to develop a Ukrainian satellite communications network. Carney said Canada is also moving to diversify its partnerships because it is currently highly reliant on systems in certain countries.
