Musk says any limits on Ukraine's Starlink access down to US, not his firm
Ukraine says Starlink access has improved but it is still facing speed limits which are disrupting its battlefield "missions".
Key points
- Ukraine said new Starlink speed limits disrupted battlefield missions on Tuesday night.
- Musk said Starshield is US government controlled and limits are decided by the US military.
- Fedorov said the speed limit was partially restored by Wednesday evening.
Ukraine reported that unexpected new speed limits on Starlink disrupted its battlefield missions on Tuesday night. Starlink is used by Kyiv to guide drones to Russian targets and protect its own skies.
Elon Musk said any limits on Starshield, the military-grade sister service to Starlink, are decided by the US government. He wrote on X that Starshield is controlled by the US government and that limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately the US president.
Ukraine seeks restoration
Starlink, owned by Musk's SpaceX, restricted speed limits on Tuesday night to 100mph (160km/h), meaning weapons travelling faster than that lost connectivity. Ukraine's former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov said it had been partially restored by Wednesday evening.
Fedorov wrote on X that removing Starshield's speed limit entirely is now critical for Ukraine's defense, thanking Musk and asking for his continued support. About an hour later, Musk replied defending his company's involvement, saying Starlink is for civilian or defensive activities and cannot be used for offensive military action.
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
— Elon Musk
Context of the restrictions
The restrictions came as Russia launched deadly attacks against Ukraine, killing several people in Kyiv and hitting communications and energy facilities used by Ukraine's military. Zelensky said it was one of the largest attacks from Russia, and at least 600,000 people across Ukraine were left without electricity.
Zelensky's adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov wrote on Telegram that the action cannot be a coincidence and is related to the current political situation. US President Donald Trump has grown increasingly frustrated towards Ukraine as it continues to strike Russian energy facilities.
