White House behind order to limit Starshield connectivity in Ukraine: Reuters

• Two US officials and a Western official say the instruction to slow the satellite service for Ukraine’s military originated inside the White House.
• Ukraine says the curbs disrupted strike missions against Russian targets and slowed drones used to intercept Russian Shahed attack drones.
• Kyiv says the terminals now work on moving platforms, but only at speeds up to about 160km/h (100mph).

 An order to restrict a satellite communications system relied on by Ukraine’s armed forces came from within the White House, according to officials briefed on the matter, Reuters reported on Thursday.

 Two US officials and one Western official, all speaking anonymously, told the agency that Pentagon leaders were told the SpaceX Starshield service supplied to Ukraine’s military should be slowed down.

They did not say which White House figure was behind the decision, or who was tasked with carrying it out.

Earlier this week, Ukrainian officials said military-grade Starlink terminals had stopped working when fitted to fast-moving equipment. That affected drones that depend on the connection for onboard guidance over Ukrainian territory.

On Thursday, a person at Ukraine’s Defence Ministry said the terminals were functioning again on moving platforms, but only up to about 160km/h.

Kyiv says the restrictions made it harder to carry out strikes on Russian forces and supply lines in occupied areas. They also reduced the effectiveness of interceptor drones used against incoming Shaheds.

Asked about the order, a senior US official said the president had never made such a request. The White House did not respond when asked whether other members of the administration might have done so.

The reported restriction comes as President Trump presses Ukraine to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries. He has blamed those strikes for rising energy prices, which are threatening to hurt his Republican Party in the November midterm elections.

Experts, however, say the main driver of higher energy costs is the US-Israeli war with Iran. Iranian attacks on energy facilities and the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted global supplies.

Starshield is a version of SpaceX’s Starlink service developed for government and national-security customers, chiefly the US Department of Defense, which is its biggest client. It runs on the Starlink satellite constellation.

Read more: CNN, MS NOW, Politico allowed back in White House after judge's order