Ukraine says Starlink communications disrupted as US envoys meet Putin

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukrainian military units recorded significant disruptions to the Starshield satellite communications service for several days, affecting the entire front line and Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine.

Starshield is the military version of Elon Musk's SpaceX's Starlink satellite communications service.

In a post on Telegram, Mr Zelenskyy said that systemic restrictions were limiting the speed at which Starshield could be used to 161 kph.

As a result of the restrictions, Ukrainian interceptors could not reach sufficient speed to down Russian jet-powered drones, with some hits already occurring, Mr Zelenskyy said.

"This helps Russians kill more Ukrainians and carry out more accurate strikes on Ukraine," he said, adding that Ukraine was trying to clarify the reasons for the restriction with the US side.

In mid-October, Ukrainian officials said SpaceX had abruptly capped the speed of Starlink and Starshield, cutting off drones and other equipment moving faster than about 160 kph amid tensions with the Trump administration over Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries. 

Service was restored on October 24.

Mr Zelenskyy's comments came as US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow for talks aimed at ending the conflict.

A Ukrainian official said there was no mention of the disruptions during US-brokered talks earlier this week in Abu Dhabi and it was unclear who had made the decision.

Ukraine has carried out a series of strikes against Russian refineries and energy installations in recent weeks, as Moscow has continued to pummel Ukrainian electricity infrastructure and cities with drones and missiles.

"So far we know very little," Mr Zelenskyy said, addressing European leaders in Dublin.

"But some things are already clear: if someone in America is making decisions that basically treat Ukrainian territory as if it is not Ukrainian, then it tells us where things are going."

Europe presents new sanctions against Russia

The European Commission will present a new sanctions package against Russia and proposals on Ukraine-related financial measures before the next European Council, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday.

The next European Council is a special summit on November 26-27.

The package will be the EU's 22nd against Russia over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly five years ago. 

Among the measures, the package is expected to include new restrictions on banks, cryptocurrencies and crypto platforms, and measures to close circumvention loopholes through third countries, EU diplomats said. 

The package may also include a ban on Belarusian and Russian athletes competing in international meets in the EU, the diplomats said.

Car bomb kills Russian military member

A member of the Russian military was killed after the car he was driving was blown up in St Petersburg, investigators said, in what appeared to be the latest in a series of targeted killings that Russia has blamed on Ukraine.

Video showed that military police had sealed off the area in the Pushkinsky District of the city as investigators and forensic scientists worked at the scene. 

A bomb-damaged dark blue SUV stood on a road littered with blast debris next to what looked like an empty passenger bus, which appeared to have also suffered damage.

Russia has blamed Ukraine for previous assassinations of senior military officials and people linked to Moscow's war effort.

Ukrainian sources have claimed responsibility in some cases, while denying others. 

There was no immediate comment from Ukraine on Thursday.

Another serviceman was killed in a car explosion in the same district of Russia's second largest city on August 27. 

Other car bomb attacks have occurred in Moscow and Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, in recent months.