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Order to limit Starshield for Ukraine came from inside White House, sources say
Reuters reported on October 16 that a directive to restrict Ukraine’s military Starshield satellite connectivity originated within the White House, citing two U.S. officials and a Western official briefed on the issue. Ukrainian forces said terminals mounted on fast-moving drones had begun losing connections, with service functioning only to about 160 km/h at that stage, affecting strike and interceptor missions. The officials did not identify who issued the directive or implemented it, and a senior U.S. official denied that the president personally requested it. The reporting concerned responsibility for the restrictions, which preceded Ukraine’s subsequent announcement of improved connection speeds.