Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky has said restrictions affecting the operating speed of Starshield satellite terminals are undermining Ukraine’s ability to intercept Russian attacks, particularly drone strikes targeting critical energy infrastructure.

Zelensky said the restrictions remained in place despite previous indications that the service had returned to normal, urging the United States and Elon Musk’s company to resolve the issue.

“We are counting on these restrictions being lifted,” Zelensky said, stressing that the protection of lives and Ukraine’s energy infrastructure ahead of winter depended on restoring the service.

Ukraine uses conventional Starlink services for battlefield communications, while Starshield, a military-grade satellite system operated through the US government, supports air-defence operations, including efforts to intercept missiles and drones.

According to Zelensky, Ukrainian interceptor drones lose contact with their operators once they reach speeds of about 161km/h, making it difficult for them to pursue Russian jet-powered Shahed drones.

The dispute over Starshield’s performance has persisted for weeks, with conflicting accounts from Musk and US President Donald Trump over who was responsible for the restrictions.

Musk previously said the US government controlled the system, while Trump denied responsibility and said he had instructed Musk to restore the service.

The connectivity problems have emerged amid strained relations between Washington and Kyiv over Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil infrastructure.

Trump had criticised the strikes, arguing that they contributed to higher global oil prices.

The Starshield issue comes as Ukraine faces broader challenges in defending its territory, including shortages of US-made Patriot missile interceptors. Ukrainian authorities said Russian forces carried out overnight and early-morning strikes on energy and railway infrastructure across several regions, including Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Odesa, Zhytomyr and Kirovohrad.

Ukraine also reported attacks on Russian oil and petrochemical facilities in Nizhnekamsk, while Russian and Moscow-backed officials reported deaths from Ukrainian strikes in several areas.

Separately, Estonia announced plans to close its border crossing points with Russia from December 1 following an alleged sabotage attempt against drone manufacturer Threod Systems. Estonian authorities said eight people were detained over an attempted arson attack and alleged that Russia’s military intelligence service, the GRU, ordered the operation.