Elon Musk Admits to Throttling Starlink Service in Ukraine
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk acknowledged that his company throttled the Starlink satellite internet service in Ukraine, a restriction that disrupted front-line military operations before access was restored over the weekend.
Zelenskyy Confirms Return to Pre-Restriction Speeds
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine’s access to Starlink and Starshield satellite links had been restored to the speeds it had before restrictions that disrupted front-line operations. Government officials and the country’s military grew concerned after Starshield faced new limits last week, with personnel documenting disconnected missions and missing drones.
Correct. Using Starlink, a civilian commercial service, for offensive drone strikes to kill people has never been allowed, nor should it be. Starshield, a different system, is controlled by the US government. What they decide to do is up to them. Ukraine military violated… https://t.co/ZXBB8bYfPn
Musk Cites Terms of Service Enforcement
Musk defended the speed throttling in a post on X, stating that SpaceX intervened because civilian Starlink hardware was being used for offensive operations.
"Using Starlink, a civilian commercial service, for offensive drone strikes to kill people has never been allowed, nor should it be," Musk wrote. He added that the Ukrainian military had violated terms of service, leading his company to close that operational loophole.
At the same time, Musk maintained that the United States government controlled any configuration changes applied to Starshield, the military-grade variant that serves as the communications backbone for Ukrainian drone units. SpaceX’s involvement in the region dates back to February 2022, when the company began supplying terminals following Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Ukraine Contests Musk Claims on Civilian Network Use
Ukrainian officials contested Musk’s assertions regarding the misuse of the civilian network. Serhii Beskrestnov, a defense technology adviser to Zelenskyy, stated that long-standing restrictions built into the civilian system made offensive use impossible, expressing surprise that Musk was unaware of those pre-existing limits.
Our conversation with the American side in Oslo was accompanied by three challenges. These were the shortage of air defense, restrictions on Starlink/Starshield, and restrictions on intelligence sharing from the United States of America. I am grateful to the Americans and our… pic.twitter.com/Bxbt9DYQ9f
The restrictions on Starshield, which began around October 14, prompted confusion within the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump and alarmed Ukrainian commanders who reported lost drones and interrupted missions. While Trump maintained he did not order the disruption, Vice President JD Vance suggested White House coordination with Musk.
More on Elon Musk
NEW: Ukrainian officials are confirming the resumption of unrestricted access to SpaceX’s low-earth orbit satellite communication technology (Starlink and Starshield) without disruptions in Ukraine on October 24.Other Key Takeaways:Ukraine’s intermediate-range strike campaign… pic.twitter.com/pIOao4VUfq
The most important thing today is that Starlink and Starshield operations have been restored to the speeds we had before the restrictions. The speeds are now where they need to be. The restoration began overnight, and by this morning, speeds were already sufficient. This matters:… pic.twitter.com/qxBtluSD3G
Starlink/Starshield terminals are working on fast-moving platforms again. The Ministry of Defence’s monitoring systems confirm stable connectivity at speeds above 400 km/h, following restrictions recorded earlier.Minister of Defence Evgeniy Khmara: “This result is important,… pic.twitter.com/mRW7lCTKrT”