Order to limit Starshield for Ukraine came from inside White House: Reuters reports

The White House directed SpaceX to restrict its Starshield satellite system used by the Ukrainian military for drone operations and battlefield communications, according to a Reuters report citing two U.S. officials and a Western official. Defense Department leaders reportedly received instructions to slow down the service. The officials involved did not identify the specific individual in the White House who issued the decision or who carried out the order.

The Pentagon is currently the largest customer of Starshield, which is a military-grade version of SpaceX's Starlink service. This directive comes after Ukrainian officials reported that Starshield receivers stopped functioning when attached to fast-moving objects, a disruption that hampered frontline operations and affected drones relying on the receivers for onboard guidance systems over Ukrainian territory.

CNBC reports that these temporary limits on the service are affecting drone operations amid rising tensions between the United States and Kyiv.

Brief written by urgent.news from CNBC, CNBC World, Investing.com — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.