Carney: Satellite Cut Costs Ukraine Lives

Prime Minister Mark Carney stated on Friday that Ukrainian civilian deaths are a direct result of restricted access to Starshield, the military-grade version of Elon Musk’s satellite network. Speaking in Istanbul, Carney linked the technical limitations of the system to specific attacks in the capital, arguing that the curbs are preventing Ukraine from tracking fast-moving threats.

Ukrainian officials reported early last week that they lost partial access to Starshield. The country uses this system to monitor incoming missiles and jet-powered drones while guiding interceptors. Starlink, the commercial arm, handles internal communications. The loss of Starshield data has created a critical gap in Ukraine’s air defense capabilities.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that since the restrictions began, Ukraine cannot track objects moving faster than 160 kilometres per hour. He stated that this blind spot complicates the repelling of Russian missile and drone attacks. Zelenskyy noted that the inability to track these fast targets has led to civilian deaths, including those of children.

Carney agreed with Zelenskyy’s assessment. He said the restrictions have real human consequences and that some recent deaths are direct casualties of the reduced ability to track threats. Carney pointed to an attack in central Kyiv that occurred within the previous 36 hours. He described it as a direct strike on citizens with no military target, citing immense human suffering.

Responsibility for the restriction remains disputed. Reuters cited two U.S. officials who said the order came from inside the White House. The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Musk ordered it personally. Musk has stated that the U.S. government and President Donald Trump control Starshield restrictions, while commercial Starlink was not authorized for military use. Trump denied ordering the curbs and said on Friday he does not know who did.

On Thursday, Trump claimed Musk had restored Ukraine’s access. Zelenskyy contradicted this in a CNN interview, saying the system still does not work. Ukrainian military officials confirmed on Friday that the restrictions remain in place. In an NBC interview on Sunday, Zelenskyy said his generals believe the U.S. government sent the message to limit speed, and SpaceX carried it out technically.

Carney questioned the judgment of those who made the decision. He said he searched for the right adjective to describe the action against a country fighting naked aggression. He added that the move raises concerns about relying on an ally that may change its view. Carney said this realization drives Canada to build sovereign capabilities with partners to reduce reliance on foreign systems.

The dispute occurs as relations between Kyiv and Washington reach a low point. Trump is pushing Ukraine to accept stronger concessions in a peace deal. He has also pressed Ukraine to stop strikes on Russian oil refineries, though Starshield is not used on those drones because it does not operate over Russian territory.

Zelenskyy is moving to reduce Ukraine’s reliance on the U.S. network. On Thursday, he signed a letter of intent with Finnish companies Nokia and ICEYE. The agreement aims to develop a Ukrainian satellite communications network. Carney said diversifying partnerships will take time because Canada is currently highly reliant on systems in certain countries.