PM Carney blames satellite cuts for Ukrainian deaths

Prime Minister Mark Carney declared on Friday that the recent restriction on Ukraine’s access to a critical satellite network is resulting in tangible loss of life. Speaking from Istanbul, the Canadian leader expressed deep concern over the judgment exercised by those who ordered the curbs. He described the affected nation as one fighting for its citizens' lives against naked aggression and stated that the move carries real and human consequences.

The conflict centers on Starshield, the military-grade version of Starlink owned by SpaceX. Ukrainian officials reported early last week that they lost partial access to this system. The network is vital for tracking incoming missiles and jet-powered drones and for guiding interceptor and spy aircraft. Meanwhile, the commercial Starlink system continues to handle essential internal communications for the country.

Disagreement persists regarding who authorized the limitation. Reuters reported last week that two U.S. officials said the order originated inside the White House. Conversely, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Elon Musk ordered the action personally. Musk has maintained that the U.S. government and military control the system and that commercial Starlink was not designed for military use. President Donald Trump denied issuing the order, saying on Friday that he did not know who was responsible.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that since the restrictions began, his country can no longer track projectiles traveling faster than 160 kilometers per hour. This limitation has complicated the defense against Russian attacks, leading to civilian casualties, including children. Carney agreed that some recent deaths are direct results of this reduced ability. He cited an attack in central Kyiv within the previous 36 hours as a direct strike on citizens with no military target, highlighting the immense suffering involved.

Confusion remains about the current status of the network. On Thursday, Trump claimed 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 interview with NBC on Sunday, Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian leaders believe the American government sent a message to limit speed, which SpaceX then implemented technically.

These developments occur during a tense period in relations between Kyiv and Washington. Trump has been pushing Ukraine to accept stronger concessions in a peace deal and to stop strikes on Russian oil refineries. However, the Starshield network is not used for those specific drones because it does not operate over Russian territory.

Carney noted that relying on an ally that might change its view puts Canadians at risk. He said this realization drives Canada to diversify and build sovereign capabilities, a process that will take time because the country is currently highly reliant on systems in other nations.

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