US Secretary of State Rubio: Ukraine's Access to Military Satellite 'Starshield' for Deep Strikes Under Discussion

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Saturday that Ukraine currently does not have access to Starshield, the military-grade version of Elon Musk's SpaceX Starlink satellite service. However, a request from Kyiv for such access to conduct attacks deep inside Russia is reportedly "under discussion." Rubio clarified the distinction between Starlink, a commercial product, and Starshield, a defense product designed for military use with deeper encryption for sensitive information, noting it is primarily used by US defense agencies and government partners.

Rubio made these comments to reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, with the Department of State releasing his remarks. He confirmed that Ukraine has requested access to Starshield for deep strikes within Russia but does not currently possess it. The US Secretary of State also addressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's suggestion that reported disruptions to Starlink services in Ukraine on Wednesday were deliberate. Rubio rejected this, stating, "Well, I don’t know what Zelenskyy said. I’m not sure Zelenskyy knows what he’s talking about, but it wasn’t deliberate. We have nothing to do with that."

Zelenskyy had previously mentioned that restrictions on Starlink terminals had slowed some Ukrainian drones, impacting their defense against Russian forces and their own medium-range attacks. He specifically noted that the satellites were not tracking antennas on objects traveling faster than 161 kilometers per hour (100 miles per hour). Rubio countered these claims, asserting that the White House did not order any reduction in internet speeds and calling the reports of deliberate slowdowns "categorically false." He added that the service had reportedly been restored to its previous levels.

These statements come amidst criticism directed at US President Donald Trump for waiving sanctions on Russia and countries purchasing its oil and gas, shortly before the restrictions were set to take effect. President Zelenskyy also voiced his disapproval of the sanctions waiver, arguing that easing pressure on Russia would embolden further attacks, stating, "Financial rewards for [President Vladimir] Putin – all of this only encourages him to keep attacking," and urged the US to maintain pressure on Moscow.