Carney Blames Satellite Curbs for Ukrainian Civilian Deaths

Prime Minister Mark Carney declared on Friday that recent restrictions on Ukraine's military satellite access are directly causing the loss of life in the country.

Speaking from Istanbul, Carney expressed deep concern over the decision to limit Kyiv's use of Starshield, the military grade version of SpaceX's Starlink system. He struggled to find the right adjective to describe the judgment of those who implemented the change, noting that they acted against a nation fighting for its citizens' lives against naked aggression. Carney affirmed that the Canadian government is concerned about the situation.

Ukrainian officials reported early last week that they lost partial access to Starshield, a network critical for tracking incoming missiles and jet powered drones. The system also guides interceptor and spy drones, while the commercial Starlink service handles internal communications. The exact source of the restriction remains disputed. Reuters cited two U.S. officials who said the order originated in the White House. The Wall Street Journal later reported that Elon Musk ordered it personally. Musk has stated that the U.S. government owns and controls Starshield, with the military and President Donald Trump making final decisions on restrictions. Trump has denied issuing the order and said on Friday that he did not know who was responsible.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated that since the curbs began, Ukraine cannot track drones or missiles moving faster than 160 kilometres per hour. This limitation has complicated defense efforts against Russian attacks, resulting in civilian deaths, including children. Carney agreed with this assessment, stating that the restrictions have real human consequences. He cited a recent attack in central Kyiv within the previous 36 hours as a direct strike on citizens with no military target, describing the resulting suffering as immense.

Conflicting information emerged regarding the current status of the network. Trump claimed on Thursday that access had been restored, but Zelenskyy contradicted this in a CNN interview, stating that the system still does not work. Ukrainian military officials confirmed on Friday that restrictions remain active. In a Sunday interview, Zelenskyy suggested that 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 peace negotiations and has urged the country to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries. However, Starshield is not used on those specific drones because it does not operate over Russian territory. Carney noted that relying on an ally whose views may change puts Canadians at risk, leading to efforts to build sovereign capabilities. He acknowledged that Canada is currently highly reliant on certain foreign systems.

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