Elon Musk has rejected Ukrainian claims that SpaceX restricted access to its satellite internet service without warning, saying any limits on the military-grade Starshield system were decided by the US government, not his company.
“Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS,” Musk posted on X on Wednesday.
His comments followed reports from Ukrainian military officials that connections on high-speed military terminals had been disrupted, affecting efforts to guide drones.
Presidential adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov wrote on Telegram that Ukrainian defence forces “did not receive a warning about this limitation, and this led to the disruption of several missions.”
Ukraine’s 7th Rapid Reaction Corps, operating in the country’s south-east, said connections dropped for 10 to 20 seconds when drones travelled at speeds of 110 to 120 km/h.
“The drones kept moving, but these interruptions made them harder to control,” the corps said in a statement.
A source in Ukraine’s defence ministry said the restrictions had significantly complicated logistics and some drone operations.
Musk distinguished between Starshield, the government-controlled system, and Starlink, SpaceX’s commercial service. He said Starlink is limited to civilian or defensive activities and “cannot be used for offensive military action, as doing so would be inappropriate for a commercial company.”
Poland, which funds Ukraine’s Starlink subscriptions, also raised concerns. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski asked Musk on X: “Hey, @elonmusk, big man, are you playing politics with your products again? As your European customers, we are watching you.”
Former Ukrainian defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov later said connectivity at speeds of up to 160 km/h was being restored and thanked Musk, while calling for the full removal of Starshield speed limits as “critical for Ukraine’s defence.”
The episode comes amid strained relations between Kyiv and Washington. The US government has not commented on the reported restrictions.
