Carney: Ukraine Satellite Cuts Costing Lives

Prime Minister Mark Carney stated on Friday that limiting Ukraine's access to the Starshield satellite network is causing direct casualties. Speaking from Istanbul, he attributed recent deaths to the loss of critical tracking capabilities. He described the decision as a judgment call that has human consequences.

Ukrainian officials reported early last week that they lost partial access to Starshield. This system is the military version of Starlink, the satellite communications network owned by Elon Musk's SpaceX. Ukraine relies on the network to track incoming missiles and jet-powered drones. It also guides interceptor and spy drones, while the commercial Starlink handles internal communications.

Disagreement persists over who ordered the restriction. Reuters cited two U.S. officials who said the order came from the White House. The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Musk ordered the change personally. Musk has stated that Starshield is owned by the U.S. government. He said the U.S. military and President Donald Trump decide on restrictions. Trump denied ordering the curbs on Friday, saying he did not know who was responsible.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the restrictions prevent Ukraine from tracking drones and missiles traveling faster than 160 kilometres per hour. This limitation complicates efforts to repel Russian attacks. Zelenskyy linked the reduced capability to civilian deaths, including those of children. He noted that the issue remains unresolved despite claims of restoration.

Carney agreed that the restrictions have real human consequences. He pointed to an attack in central Kyiv within the previous 36 hours as a direct example. He called it a strike on citizens with no military target. He said some recent deaths are direct casualties of the reduced ability to track threats.

Conflicting reports exist regarding the current status of the network. Trump said on Thursday that Musk had restored access. Zelenskyy contradicted this in a CNN interview, stating that the system still does not work. Ukrainian military officials confirmed on Friday that the restrictions remain in place. In an NBC interview, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian leaders believe the U.S. government sent a message to limit speed, which SpaceX then executed technically.

The dispute occurs during a period of strained relations between Kyiv and Washington. Trump is pushing Ukraine to accept stronger concessions in a peace deal. He has also pressured Ukraine to stop strikes on Russian oil refineries. Starshield is not used for those specific drones because the system does not operate over Russian territory.

Carney said relying on an ally that may change its view puts Canadians at risk. He said this reality leads to decisions to diversify partnerships. Canada is working to build sovereign capabilities, either domestically or with partners. He noted that Canada is currently highly reliant on systems in certain countries.

Zelenskyy is moving to reduce Ukraine's dependence on the U.S. network. On Thursday, he signed a letter of intent with Finnish companies Nokia and ICEYE. The goal is to develop a Ukrainian satellite communications network.