PM Carney Blames Satellite Cuts for Ukrainian Casualties in Kyiv
The Canadian Prime Minister argues that limiting access to SpaceX technology has left defenders blind to fast incoming threats, resulting in preventable civilian deaths.
By Luana Sato ·
Prime Minister Mark Carney is calling for answers after a dispute over satellite access left Ukrainian defenders without critical tracking tools.
Speaking from Istanbul on Friday, Carney stated that the decision to restrict Ukraine's use of Starshield is directly costing lives. He challenged the logic behind the move, noting that the system is vital for a nation fighting against what he described as naked aggression. Carney admitted to being deeply concerned by the situation and struggled to find the right word to describe the judgment of those who enacted the curbs.
The restrictions affect Starshield, the military version of Elon Musk's Starlink network. Ukraine relies on this infrastructure to track incoming missiles and jet powered drones while guiding its own interceptor and spy drones. Starlink handles separate internal communications. Ukrainian officials first reported losing part of this access early last week, creating a significant gap in their air defense capabilities.
Who exactly ordered the cutoff remains a point of contention between Washington and the private sector. Reuters reported last week, citing two U.S. officials, that the directive originated inside the White House. Conversely, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Musk ordered the change personally. Musk has maintained that the U.S. government owns and controls the system, while President Donald Trump denied giving the order. On Friday, Trump said he did not know who was responsible and would not speculate even if he did.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claims the loss of access has been devastating. He stated that his country can no longer track drones or missiles traveling faster than 160 kilometers per hour. This blind spot has made it harder to repel Russian attacks, leading to civilian deaths that include children. Carney agreed, pointing to a recent strike in central Kyiv within the previous 36 hours. He described it as a direct hit on citizens with no military target, calling the resulting human suffering immense.
Confusion continues over whether the access has been fully restored. Trump said on Thursday that Musk had fixed the issue. However, Zelenskyy contradicted this in a CNN interview, saying the system still does not work. Ukrainian military officials confirmed on Friday that the restrictions were still in place. Zelenskyy later told NBC Meet The Press that his government believes the U.S. sent a message to limit the speed, which SpaceX then implemented technically.
The dispute occurs during a fragile period in Kyiv Washington relations. Trump is pushing Ukraine to accept stronger concessions for a peace deal and has asked it to pause strikes on Russian oil refineries. However, Starshield is not used on those specific drones because the network does not operate over Russian territory. Carney used the moment to warn that relying on an ally that may change its mind puts Canadians at risk. He emphasized the need to build sovereign capabilities to reduce this high reliance on foreign systems.
Ukraine is already moving to diversify its options. On Thursday, Zelenskyy signed a letter of intent with Finnish companies Nokia and ICEYE. The goal is to develop a domestic satellite communications network to reduce future dependence on U.S. infrastructure.
