US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has firmly rejected claims that the White House directed any slowdown of Starlink services in Ukraine, disputing allegations that Washington was responsible for recent disruptions to satellite connectivity used during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Speaking about the controversy, Rubio stressed that Starlink is a commercial service operated by SpaceX and is not controlled by the White House or the US government.

He also drew a distinction between Starlink and Starshield, explaining that Starshield is a military and national security system used by the US government, whereas Starlink is a commercial satellite communications platform.

According to Rubio, Starshield is not currently available to Ukraine and discussions regarding its use fall under separate military and government channels.

Questioning remarks made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Rubio said he was unsure whether the Ukrainian leader fully understood the situation surrounding the reported disruptions.

Rubio stated that nobody in the United States government ordered Starlink speeds to be reduced and added that, to his knowledge, connectivity issues had already been restored.

He reiterated that the systems used by Ukraine were Starlink services and not Starshield, emphasising that Starshield remains under contract with the US military and has no direct operational connection to Ukraine at present.

The Secretary of State further claimed that Ukraine is seeking access to Starshield capabilities to support long-range strike operations deep inside Russian territory.

However, he maintained that Kyiv currently lacks access to the system and said reports alleging White House involvement in connectivity restrictions were categorically false.

Rubio specifically dismissed suggestions that US officials ordered internet speeds to be reduced in order to prevent certain Ukrainian drones from operating effectively. The comments come after reports indicated that Ukrainian military operations had been affected by restrictions on satellite communications services, raising concerns about battlefield connectivity during continued Russian missile and drone attacks.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly voiced concerns over the disruptions, arguing that limitations on satellite communications had affected military operations and Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russian strikes.

During an interview with Piers Morgan, Zelenskyy accused Elon Musk and the United States of knowingly restricting access, claiming the interruption occurred during the night and significantly disrupted Ukrainian capabilities.

He argued that those responsible understood the consequences of the decision and suggested the loss of connectivity undermined defensive operations at a critical moment.

Separate reports indicated that Ukrainian authorities were surprised by restrictions reportedly affecting Starshield-related capabilities, with military officials describing the operational consequences as substantial.

Ukraine relies heavily on satellite communications for reconnaissance missions, intelligence gathering, command-and-control activities, and the operation of reconnaissance and interceptor drones, making uninterrupted connectivity a critical military requirement.

The controversy has renewed attention on the distinction between SpaceX’s two satellite systems. Starlink functions as a commercial broadband network used globally, while Starshield is a government-focused secure communications and intelligence platform developed using Starlink technology but tailored for defence and national security missions. Recent reporting has highlighted how dependent modern military operations have become on satellite-based communications, particularly in Ukraine, where such systems have played a central role since the early stages of the war.

Subsequently, Ukrainian official Mykhailo Fedorov announced that Starlink connectivity was being restored, including support for high-speed operations of up to 160 km/h.

Fedorov thanked Elon Musk for the restoration efforts while urging the complete removal of speed-related restrictions, arguing that unrestricted satellite communications are vital for Ukraine’s defence as the war continues.

ANI