Starshield Limits: Carney Links Kyiv Casualties to 160 km/h Tracking Gap

Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke in Istanbul on Friday to connect recent civilian deaths in Kyiv with limitations on Ukraine's access to the Starshield satellite network. He described the current restrictions as a factor in the loss of life, stating that the country is struggling to defend against naked aggression.

Carney questioned the decision-making process behind the access curbs. He told reporters that he searched for the correct adjective to describe the group responsible, noting that the nation affected is literally fighting for the lives of its citizens. He confirmed that Canada is concerned about the situation.

Ukrainian officials reported early last week that they lost part of their access to Starshield. This system is the military version of Starlink, the satellite communications network owned by Elon Musk's SpaceX. Ukraine utilizes Starshield to track incoming missiles and jet-powered drones. It also guides interceptor and spy drones. Starlink handles critical internal communications separately.

The origin of the restriction order remains a point of dispute. Reuters reported last week, citing two U.S. officials, that the command came from 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 decides on restrictions. He added 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.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that since the restrictions began, Ukraine cannot track drones or missiles traveling faster than 160 kilometres per hour. He said this gap has made it harder to repel Russian attacks, leading to civilian deaths, including children. Carney agreed, calling the restrictions a cause of real human consequences. He pointed to an attack in central Kyiv within the previous 36 hours as a direct strike on citizens with no military target.

Trump said 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 restrictions remain in place. In a Sunday interview on NBC Meet The Press, Zelenskyy said Ukraine believes the American government sent the message to limit the speed, and SpaceX carried it out technically.

Zelenskyy is working to reduce Ukraine's reliance on the U.S. network. 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 moving to diversify its partnerships and build sovereign capabilities because it is highly reliant on systems in certain countries.