Zelensky: Putin wants ballistic missiles in Belarus for western Ukraine – Starlink’s speed limit “brought down” the interceptor drones

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky believes that Russia is preparing to escalate its attacks on western Ukraine and that Vladimir Putin wants to deploy ballistic missiles in Belarus. Answering journalists’ questions on Saturday, October 17, he said Moscow is already placing repeaters on Belarusian territory to use that corridor for its drones. “That is not enough for them. They need Lukashenko’s support in order to deploy on Belarusian territory other assets too, including ballistic ones,” he wrote on his official channel.

“The deployment of ballistic missiles in Belarus will be a threat first of all to the western part of our country. I am sure Putin is thinking along those lines. But this is direct involvement of Belarus in this war, and it is very dangerous, for Belarus too,” he added. Zelensky did not name a specific missile system and spoke of an intention of Moscow, not of a deployment that has already taken place.

The Ukrainian president also returned to the Starlink restrictions. As he said, the maximum speed at which the system currently operates in Ukraine is 161 kilometres per hour. When it is exceeded, the terminal shuts down and the drone is lost, so interceptor drones cannot shoot down Russia’s jet-powered Shaheds. Ukraine sent vehicles with Starlink to EU countries, which moved at 180 km/h without a problem.

“The restrictions apply on the territory of Ukraine and not in EU countries. That means it is a planned operation,” he said. Discussions are being held at military, ministerial and diplomatic level, while SpaceX, according to him, is not in contact with the military. “At various levels they say these are technical problems. But those exist in Ukraine, while on EU territory they do not,” he noted. On Friday in Brussels he had said that the speed was starting to return, but not fully. The issue has already led to a confrontation with the White House over Starshield and a Sikorski–Musk exchange.

According to Zelensky, Ukraine’s air force now shoots down 55% to 60% of all jet-powered Shaheds that are destroyed. He said stocks of 20 mm rounds for the F-16s are increasing and that cheap missiles and new solutions will soon arrive from partners, while turret-mounted anti-drone guns are now counted in the dozens. In the night to Saturday Russia struck more than 15 energy production and transmission facilities, with more than 320 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles.