Carney links Ukrainian casualties to restricted satellite access
The Prime Minister told reporters in Istanbul that losing high-speed tracking capabilities has led to civilian deaths in Kyiv.
By Khalid Rahman ·
Prime Minister Mark Carney stated on Friday that limiting Ukraine's use of a military-grade satellite network is costing lives. He made the comments while speaking in Istanbul. Carney questioned the judgment of the individuals who approved the restrictions.
He described the decision as one made against a nation fighting for its citizens' survival. Carney said he struggled to find the right adjective to describe the choice. He confirmed that his government is concerned about the situation.
Ukrainian officials reported early last week that they lost partial access to Starshield. This is the military version of the Starlink system owned by Elon Musk's SpaceX. Ukraine relies on Starshield to track incoming missiles and jet-powered drones. It also uses the network to guide interceptor and spy drones.
Responsibility for the move remains disputed. Reuters reported last week that two U.S. officials 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 the U.S. government controls Starshield and that commercial Starlink was not designed for military use.
President Donald Trump denied ordering the curbs. On Friday, he said he did not know who was responsible and would not reveal it even if he did. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country can no longer track drones and missiles traveling faster than 160 kilometres per hour.
Zelenskyy said this gap in capability has complicated efforts to repel Russian attacks. He linked the limitation to civilian deaths, including those of children. Carney agreed with this assessment. He called the restrictions a cause of recent deaths in central Kyiv within the previous 36 hours.
Carney described that recent strike as a direct hit on citizens with no military target. He noted the immense human suffering involved. Trump said on Thursday that 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.
Zelenskyy signed a letter of intent with Finnish companies Nokia and ICEYE on Thursday. The agreement aims to develop a Ukrainian satellite communications network to reduce reliance on the U.S. system.
Source: CBC News
