Interceptor drone limitations
Starshield’s 161 kilometers per hour (100 miles per hour) speed limit prevents Ukrainian interceptor drones from stopping Russian jet-powered Shahed drones. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Nov. 15 that many Russian strikes on energy infrastructure succeed because speed restrictions remain for Starshield terminals along the front line and in temporarily occupied territories. Russian forces are targeting substations with Shahed drones, and many of these strikes get through precisely because speed restrictions remain in place for Starshield terminals. The speed limit of 161 kilometers per hour (100 miles per hour) on Starshield terminals restricts the interception of Russian strike drones, which usually get shot down over occupied territory before they can reach government-controlled areas. Russia launched more than 2,300 attack drones, 1,590 glide bombs, and 15 missiles against Ukraine over the past week. On Nov. 13, Zelensky told journalists that imposing speed restrictions over Russian-occupied territories is "very dangerous" because such limits partially recognize those areas as not belonging to Ukraine. This year, Ukraine used Starshield in a middle-range strike campaign to strangle Russian logistics, which hampered the ability of Russia to advance on the front lines.
| Starshield Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Operating speed limit | 161 kilometers per hour (100 miles per hour) |
| Russian attack drones (weekly) | 2,300 |
| Russian glide bombs (weekly) | 1,590 |
| Russian missiles (weekly) | 15 |
Infrastructure strikes and political pressure
Russian forces attacked energy infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Odesa, Zhytomyr, and Kirovohrad oblasts overnight and on the morning of Nov. 15. They also targeted railway infrastructure in Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia. Russian attacks killed at least four civilians and injured 69 others over the past day. This surge in violence follows a pattern where Russia renewed mass attacks on energy facilities since the end of summer. The Congressional Ukraine Caucus, a bipartisan support group for Ukraine, demanded a full explanation from the Trump administration and SpaceX and called for the immediate restoration of full Starshield access for Ukraine. Zelensky instructed the Foreign Ministry, Defense Ministry, and his office to work closely with U.S. officials and SpaceX to resolve the issue. He stressed that lifting the restrictions was essential to protecting the lives of Ukrainians and energy infrastructure ahead of winter.
