What is Starshield, and who limited Ukraine’s access to it?

Key points

• Ukraine's military Starshield satellite connection was restored after a disruption between Tuesday and Wednesday, according to a Ukrainian Ministry of Defence source.
• Elon Musk denied SpaceX's involvement, saying Starshield is owned and controlled by the US government and that limits are decided by the US military and the president.
• Zelenskyy said the incident was not a technical problem but 'the will', and that US officials had warned Kyiv that Washington would block intelligence unless attacks on Russian energy infrastructure stop.

Ukraine's military Starshield satellite connection has been restored, a Ukrainian Ministry of Defence source said, days after the United States reportedly restricted the service. Reuters, citing a source, reported that Kyiv is still seeking clarification from SpaceX, Starshield's parent company, about the disruption that occurred between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Ukraine depends on Starshield, the military-grade version of SpaceX's Starlink internet service, for intelligence in its war with Russia. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk denied his company's involvement and suggested only the US government could have disrupted it, even as President Donald Trump said Washington is still sharing intelligence with Kyiv.

What Starshield is

Starshield is a sister service to Starlink, an array of 11,000 satellites that SpaceX placed in Earth's low orbit to provide high-speed internet even in remote areas. Launched in 2022 and provided to the US government, Starshield is designed for military use, allowing deeper encryption to process sensitive information. SpaceX says it is primarily used by US defence agencies and other government partners.

Ukraine's military relies on Starshield in particular to guide its drones, which it uses heavily to attack Russia. On Tuesday, Ukrainian defence officials said they had lost access to important satellite-based communications and that the disruptions affected military missions. This followed heavy Russian strikes involving more than 100 drones and five ballistic missiles, for which Ukraine said it received no prior warning.

It was not a technical problem; it was the will.

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Warnings and reactions

Serhiy Beskrestnov, a defence adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, posted on Telegram that SpaceX had also implemented a speed limit on Starlink terminals, capping internet speeds at 100mph (160km/h). He said drones or missiles flying faster than that lost their guidance connection, that the armed forces were not warned about the restrictions, and that this led to the failure of a number of missions. Officials said the restrictions also reduced capabilities for front-line logistics, reconnaissance and relaying signals.

Musk denied involvement on Wednesday, writing on X that Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government and that any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately the president. He said Starlink is for civilian or defensive activities and cannot be used for offensive military action. Zelenskyy told the Financial Times that US military officials had earlier warned Kyiv that Washington would block intelligence unless attacks on Russian energy infrastructure stop, and that the Starshield incident was not a technical problem but the will.