100 mph: The speed at which Ukraine’s interceptor drones lose signal

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Sunday that limitations on the Starshield satellite communications system are preventing interceptor drones from tracking Russian targets. He warned that these technical constraints could leave Ukraine’s energy infrastructure vulnerable as winter approaches, a season when Moscow frequently targets the power grid.

The core issue involves speed. Zelenskyy explained that Ukraine’s interceptor drones lose contact with their operators when flying faster than 161 kilometers per hour, or 100 miles per hour. This loss of signal occurs along the front line and over Russian-occupied territory. Because they can no longer receive commands, the drones are unable to catch incoming Russian Shahed drones.

The Starshield system is operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Zelenskyy questioned whether the current problem is technical or administrative on Saturday. He noted that the restrictions appeared to be imposed by SpaceX despite earlier assurances from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rubio had previously stated that Starshield was more under the control of the U.S. government.

Zelenskyy posted on social media that his government is counting on these restrictions to be lifted. He said the protection of lives and Ukrainian energy infrastructure before winter depends on this fix. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, and the President's Office have been instructed to work closely with the American side and SpaceX. "It is important to be on the right side of history. We need to help Ukraine," he wrote.

Separately, a Russian strike hit Chornomorsk, a port city in Ukraine's Odesa region, on Sunday. Regional head Oleh Kiper said the attack injured six people and damaged energy infrastructure. The blast damaged a gas pipeline and nearby residential buildings, and two parked cars caught fire. The strike hit a facility operated by DTEK Odesa Electric Networks, temporarily leaving about 41,000 customers without power.

Ukrainian forces also conducted attacks in Russia. Gov. Yuri Slyusar of the Rostov region said drone strikes damaged two electrical substations, killing a chief engineer. Four people were injured when drone debris fell on their cars, and a fifth person was wounded by debris in the village of Troitskoye. In the Tatarstan region, Radmir Belyaev, mayor of Nizhnekamsk, reported that a large-scale attack damaged the industrial zone, injuring six people and disrupting heating and hot water supplies.

Zelenskyy said Russia launched more than 2,300 drones, 1,590 guided aerial bombs, and 15 missiles against Ukraine over the past week. Russia’s Defense Ministry stated its forces shot down 533 Ukrainian drones overnight across 13 Russian regions, Crimea, and the Black and Azov seas.