Starshield restrictions disrupt Ukraine’s drone operations 烏克蘭無人機突遭「星盾」斷網 美國掌控權引發疑慮

Sudden restrictions on Starshield — SpaceX’s military-grade version of the Starlink satellite Internet service and the backbone of Ukraine’s drone operations and communication — alarmed the country’s military and government officials last week, with commanders reporting lost drones and disrupted missions.

The episode raised fresh questions about Ukraine’s reliance on the Starshield program and who controls access to it.

The episode added to tensions between Kyiv and Washington, a relationship already strained by US President Donald Trump’s reported deal with Moscow on Russian diesel imports, which Ukraine viewed as a betrayal.

Illustration from June 11 showing the Starlink logo with a silhouette of Elon Musk. 馬斯克之剪影與星鏈（Starlink）標誌。6月11日示意圖。

Photo: Reuters 照片：路透

What is Starshield?

Starshield is SpaceX’s satellite program for governments and the military. Built on Starlink technology, it is designed for national security missions and includes secure communications, Earth observation and satellites equipped with specialized sensors. It also incorporates additional encryption and security measures for sensitive government operations.

The Starlink system uses thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit to provide broadband connectivity to terminals on the ground, including in areas where conventional Internet infrastructure is unavailable or damaged.

Servicemen of the 68th Oleksa Dovbush Separate Jaeger Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine set up Starlink satellite Internet system, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, near the frontline town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region, Ukraine on April 10 last year. 俄羅斯入侵烏克蘭戰爭中，烏克蘭武裝部隊第68獨立獵兵旅之軍人，去年4月10日在頓內茨克州前線城鎮波克羅夫斯克附近架設星鏈衛星網路設備。

Photo: Reuters 照片：路透

Unlike Starlink, Starshield is tailored to government requirements and can include dedicated satellites and special equipment.

Starshield “is the version where you have much higher speeds, you have better connectivity and it’s not available for civilians; it’s available only for the military,” said Olena Tregub, founder and secretary-general of Ukraine’s Independent Anti-Corruption Commission.

Tregub said reliable, high-speed connectivity was essential for Ukrainian military operations involving drones and units moving rapidly on the ground and in the air. Operators need clear, real-time video feeds to identify what is happening and make decisions, she said.

An artilleryman of the Special Rifle Police Battalion of Zaporizhzhia region sets up Starlink satellite Internet system, at a position, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, near the frontline in Donetsk region, Ukraine on Oct. 16. 俄羅斯入侵烏克蘭戰爭中，烏克蘭札波羅熱州特警步槍營一名砲兵，10月16日在頓內茨克州前線附近的戰地架設星鏈衛星網路設備。

Photo: Reuters 照片：路透

Ukraine’s increasingly digital battlefield also relies on systems such as Delta, which helps manage and share battlefield data. Transmitting large volumes of information requires fast and reliable connections, Tregub said.

“It’s not just about being able to connect. We need to make sure that this speed is there, that it’s not reduced,” she said, adding that standard civilian Starlink access alone would not meet the military’s needs.

The US government is a major Starshield customer. SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk said last week that the US government owns and controls the system, with decisions about its use resting with the US military and, ultimately, the president. His remarks have fueled questions about who was responsible for the latest restrictions affecting Ukraine.

A Ukrainian drone operator installs a Starlink communications system on a ‘Vampiro’ attack drone that is due to carry out a mission at an undisclosed location near the frontline in the Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine on June 26, amid the Russian invasion. 俄羅斯入侵烏克蘭戰爭中，一名烏克蘭無人機操作員6月26日在烏東頓內茨克州前線附近一處未公開地點，為即將執行任務的「吸血鬼」（Vampiro）攻擊無人機安裝星鏈通訊設備。

Photo: EPA 照片：歐新社

How are Starlink and Starshield linked?

Starlink and Starshield are different services, but they share much of the same technological foundation, including SpaceX’s satellite engineering and capabilities.

The difference lies in the customer, security needs and end purpose. Starlink provides commercial services, while Starshield is designed for government and national security missions.

The distinction is not always straightforward. Starshield can draw on the wider Starlink satellite network and related infrastructure, while also drawing on separate and dedicated satellites and systems.

Initially developed for commercial use, Starlink became a crucial communications tool after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Its terminals have helped Ukrainian authorities, emergency services and military units stay connected despite Russian attacks on communications infrastructure.

On the front line, the service supports communications between military units and enables operations requiring a continuous connection between drones and their operators, including missions in which operators need to receive video while aircraft are in flight.

The Starlink and Starshield services are not interchangeable, even when they rely on overlapping technology.

For Ukraine, restrictions affecting particular terminals or military services do not necessarily mean the entire Starlink network has been switched off, neither does the continued operation of civilian terminals guarantee that specialized military connectivity will remain available.

The incident nevertheless reinforced the need for backup communications. Ukraine’s army was preparing alternative solutions, although they would be more expensive and less effective.(AP)

SpaceX旗下的「星盾」（Starshield）—即軍用版的「星鏈」（Starlink）衛星網路服務，是烏克蘭無人機作戰及通訊系統的重要支柱，但這項服務上週突然被限速，讓烏克蘭軍方及政府官員陣腳大亂。多名指揮官通報，部分無人機失聯，軍事任務也受到干擾。

這起事件再次引發外界對烏克蘭依賴星盾系統的疑慮，並質疑星盾的使用權限究竟是誰在掌控。

這也加劇了基輔與華府之間的緊張關係。此前，美國總統川普據報與莫斯科達成協議，開放進口俄羅斯柴油，已使美烏關係陷入緊張，烏克蘭更將這項協議視為背叛。

星盾是什麼?

星盾是SpaceX專為政府及軍方開發的衛星計畫，以星鏈技術為基礎，主要用於國家安全任務，包括安全通訊、地球觀測，以及搭載特殊感測器的衛星。星盾也採用額外的加密及安全措施，以支援涉及敏感資訊的政府行動。

星鏈系統利用數千顆部署在地球低軌道的衛星，為地面終端設備提供寬頻網路連線，涵蓋範圍包括傳統網路基礎設施無法使用或遭破壞的地區。

與星鏈不同，星盾是依照政府需求量身打造的服務，可包括專用衛星及特殊設備。

烏克蘭獨立反貪腐委員會（Independent Anti-Corruption Commission）創辦人兼秘書長歐蓮娜‧特雷古布表示：「星盾是速度更快、連線品質更好的版本，而且不對一般民眾開放，僅供軍方使用」。

特雷古布表示，對於涉及無人機，以及在地面與空中快速移動部隊的烏克蘭軍事行動而言，可靠的高速網路連線至關重要。操作人員需要清晰的即時影像，才能掌握現場情況並做出決策。

烏克蘭日益數位化的戰場，也仰賴「Delta」等戰情系統協助管理及共享戰場資料。特雷古布指出，傳輸大量資訊需要快速且可靠的網路連線。

她說：「這不只是能不能連上網路的問題。我們必須確保連線速度夠快，而且不會被降速」。她補充說，僅靠一般民用星鏈服務，無法滿足軍方需求。

美國政府是星盾的主要客戶。SpaceX創辦人兼執行長伊隆．馬斯克上週表示，美國政府擁有並控制星盾系統，其使用決策由美軍負責，最終決定權則在總統手中。馬斯克的說法也引發外界質疑，烏克蘭的星盾最近遭到限速，究竟是誰該負責。

星鏈與星盾有何關聯?

星鏈與星盾是兩種不同的服務，但兩者共享許多相同的技術基礎，包括SpaceX的衛星工程技術與相關功能。

兩者主要的差異在於服務對象、安全需求及最終用途。星鏈提供商業服務，而星盾則專為政府及國家安全任務設計。

不過，兩者的區別並不總是很明確。星盾可以利用更廣泛的星鏈衛星網路及相關基礎設施，同時也能使用獨立的專用衛星與系統。

星鏈最初是為商業用途開發，但自2022年2月俄羅斯全面入侵烏克蘭以來，已成為烏克蘭至關重要的通訊工具。儘管俄羅斯持續攻擊烏克蘭的通訊基礎設施，星鏈終端設備仍協助烏克蘭政府機關、緊急救援單位及軍事部隊維持通訊。

在前線，星鏈支援軍事部隊之間的通訊，並讓無人機與操作人員持續保持連線以執行任務，因為有些行動需要操作人員在無人機飛行時接收即時影像。

即使星鏈與星盾使用部分相同的技術，兩種服務仍無法相互取代。

對烏克蘭而言，這項區別十分重要，因為特定終端設備或軍事服務受到限制，並不一定代表整個星鏈網路都已關閉。同樣地，即使民用終端設備仍能正常運作，也不保證軍方專用的通訊服務能持續使用。