Elon Musk has accused Ukraine’s military of violating Starlink’s terms of service by using the satellite internet system to support offensive drone attacks, defending restrictions that disrupted Ukrainian military operations for more than a week.
The SpaceX chief made the allegation on Saturday, October 24, after Ukrainian officials announced that Starlink and its military-focused counterpart, Starshield, had returned to their previous operating speeds.
“Using Starlink, a civilian commercial service, for offensive drone strikes to kill people has never been allowed, nor should it be,” Musk wrote on X, claiming that Ukraine had violated the service’s rules and that the loophole had been closed.
Musk also defended SpaceX’s role in supporting Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. He argued that the company had done more to help defend the country than any other private business, pointing to Starlink’s importance for communications on the battlefield.
He warned that completely shutting down Starlink would have devastating consequences for Ukrainian forces, saying the country’s frontline could collapse without the service.
However, the restrictions have raised questions about Ukraine’s dependence on satellite communications supplied by a private company and the influence of Washington over systems used by its military.
Ukraine Says Starlink Access Has Been Restored
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Starlink speeds had returned to the levels needed by Ukrainian forces following more than a week of disruption.
The restrictions had affected military operations, including drone missions, logistics and communications. Ukrainian forces also reported difficulties intercepting Russian attack drones, with some missions reportedly cancelled because of connectivity problems.
Ukraine’s Defence Ministry said connections had stabilised at speeds exceeding 400 kilometres per hour, after restrictions had limited Starshield operations on platforms travelling above approximately 160 kilometres per hour.
Ukrainian officials disputed Musk’s allegation that the service was being used for long- and medium-range offensive drone attacks. Serhiy Beskrestnov, an adviser to Zelenskyy on defence technology, said Ukraine could not physically use Starlink in the manner Musk described, adding that its long-range attack drones typically operate at much lower speeds.
The disagreement has left competing claims over how the technology was being used and why the restrictions were introduced.
Who Controls the Restrictions?
Musk has previously said that restrictions on Starlink and Starshield usage are decided by the US military and ultimately the president. He has also stressed that Starshield is a separate, government-controlled system, even though it uses technology developed by SpaceX.
US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and War Secretary Pete Hegseth, have denied that Washington was responsible for the service slowdown. Reuters, however, reported that the order to restrict Starshield originated inside the White House.
Musk has not publicly identified the individual who authorised the specific restrictions, and the full decision-making process remains unclear.
The dispute has unfolded amid wider tensions between Washington and Kyiv over Ukraine’s attacks on Russian energy infrastructure and the direction of US policy toward the war.
For Ukraine, Starlink remains a critical communications tool for troops operating near the front lines. The latest episode has highlighted the risks associated with relying on a service whose capabilities and access can be affected by decisions made outside the country.
Although access has now been restored, questions remain over the rules governing military use, who has final authority over restrictions and whether similar disruptions could occur again.
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