Newsweek reports that Starshield's bandwidth throttling has inadvertently aided Russian forces, turning the very advantage of speed into a self-imposed constraint.

Newsweek: The speed restrictions on Starlink have greatly aided Russian air defense systems, undermining Ukraine’s previously held advantage.

Newsweek reports that the extended time required for Ukrainian drones to reach their targets has given Russian air defense systems more opportunity to detect and intercept them.

A Ukrainian soldier told Newsweek that on the morning of October 14, his unit lost contact with a drone carrying explosives as it approached a Russian logistics facility near Kupiansk. Upon regaining communication, the drone was too late to strike its target—its flight had taken longer and consumed more battery power due to speed limitations.

It was later confirmed that the military version of Starlink—Starshield—had been set with a maximum speed cap of 160 kilometers per hour.

The soldier explained, “We’ve lost our speed advantage. It was this very advantage that previously allowed us to swiftly and efficiently reach targets and carry out strikes.”

According to him, Ukrainian operators now face greater difficulty in attacking Russian-controlled logistics facilities and military equipment along the border regions. The issue extends beyond drones failing to reach their destinations; due to restricted speeds, many missions that were once feasible are now likely to fail.

Original: toutiao.com/article/1879221271072772/

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