In brief
Elon Musk announced that SpaceX had limited Ukraine’s Starlink service because the Ukrainian military had used it for offensive drone strikes, a move he said violated the company’s terms of service. The outage, which stalled communications for roughly a week, coincided with a diplomatic spat with Washington over Russian oil facility attacks. Ukraine’s defense ministry reports the link has now recovered, with drones achieving speeds above 400km/h. Musk denied using Starlink for military ops, citing a separate US‑run Starshield system. The incident underscores the strategic importance of satellite internet for Ukraine’s war efforts and the tensions between private tech companies and national security concerns.
Elon Musk said his company SpaceX had temporarily restricted Ukraine's Starlink internet due to alleged military usage that breached the company’s terms of service. The outage knocked Ukrainian forces offline for more than a week, affecting drone strikes and battlefield communications.
The interruption began around the same time as a diplomatic row between President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Donald Trump over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure. Trump allegedly asked Musk to “put it back,” prompting Musk to post a clarification on X, downplaying the throttling and distinguishing Starlink from the US‑controlled Starshield system.
Ukrainian presidential adviser Serhii Beskrestnov called Musk’s claim “very strange,” noting that commercial Starlink is limited to surface‑level speeds and does not support deep strikes into Russia. Beskrestnov also mentioned that drones operated via Starlink in Ukraine were speed‑restricted to 70‑90km/h and could not function on Russian territory.
Ukraine’s defense ministry later confirmed a “stable connection,” with drones achieving speeds above 400km/h. President Zelensky praised the restored link on Telegram, saying the speeds were now sufficient for operational needs.
The incident highlights the growing reliance on satellite internet for battlefield coordination and the complex interplay between private tech providers and military strategy. While SpaceX’s Starshield remains under U.S. control, Starlink has become a critical link for Ukrainian forces, providing real‑time data and enabling remote drone operations.
