Carney: Speed Cap on Satellites Leaves Ukraine Blind to Fast Attacks

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated on Friday that limiting Ukraine’s access to military satellite data is directly causing civilian deaths. Speaking from Istanbul, he criticized the decision makers behind the restrictions, questioning their judgment in curbing the tools of a nation facing what he called naked aggression.

Ukrainian officials confirmed early last week that they lost partial access to Starshield, the military-grade version of Elon Musk’s Starlink network. The country relies on this system to track incoming missiles and jet-powered drones. It also guides interceptor and spy drones, while the commercial Starlink handles internal communications.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian President, reported that the restrictions prevent tracking of objects moving faster than 160 kilometres per hour. He said this gap has complicated defense efforts against Russian missile and drone attacks, leading to the deaths of civilians, including children. Carney agreed, noting that recent casualties are direct consequences of this reduced tracking ability.

The source of the order remains a point of contention between Washington and the satellite company. Reuters cited two U.S. officials who said the White House issued the command. The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Musk ordered it personally. Musk maintains that the U.S. government controls the system, while Trump has denied ordering the curbs. On Friday, Trump said he did not know who was responsible.

Disagreement persists over the current status of the network. Trump claimed on Thursday that access had been restored. Zelenskyy contradicted this in a CNN interview, stating the system still does not work. Ukrainian military officials confirmed on Friday that the restrictions remain in place. In an NBC interview on Sunday, Zelenskyy said his generals believe the U.S. government sent the limit and SpaceX implemented it technically.

Carney linked the incident to broader Canadian strategy. He said relying on an ally that may change its view puts Canadians at risk. This realization drives decisions to diversify partnerships and build sovereign capabilities. He noted that Canada is currently highly reliant on systems based in other countries, a position that will take time to correct.

Ukraine is also moving to reduce its dependency. On Thursday, Zelenskyy signed a letter of intent with Finnish companies Nokia and ICEYE. The goal is to develop a Ukrainian satellite communications network. These steps come as tensions rise between Kyiv and Washington, with Trump pushing for stronger concessions in a peace deal.