Ukraine Warupdated 5m ago2 min read
Elon Musk Says US Government Controls Starshield Speed Limits in Ukraine
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Musk says U.S. government, not SpaceX, sets Starshield speed limits in Ukraine. Ukrainian officials say Starshield restrictions hinder drone strikes and air defense.
11 outlets told this the same way.
Outlets did split on Ukraine Says SpaceX Restricted Starlink Military Services, Disrupting Missions Amid Russian Attacks →
Musk points to Washington
Elon Musk said on Wednesday that any disruptions Ukraine reported in using the Starshield satellite communications system would be the responsibility of the US government, not his company.
Musk said, “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,” referring to US President Donald Trump.
Ukraine said on Tuesday night that unexpected new speed limits were disrupting battlefield missions, and Starlink restricted speed limits to 100mph (160km/h) so weapons that travelled faster lost connectivity to the network.
Mykhailo Fedorov said that Starlink connectivity at speeds of up to 160km/h was being restored, and he wrote, “Removing Starshield’s speed limit entirely is now critical for Ukraine’s defense,” while thanking Musk for “continued support.”
Ukraine warns of deaths
Volodymyr Zelensky told UK media that he hoped the Starlink slowdown was “maybe [a] huge technical problem,” and he asked for the service to be switched on.
Zelensky’s adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov wrote on Telegram that “It is clear that this action cannot be a coincidence and is related to the current political situation,” after residents said they received no warning of incoming drones before they hit.
Elon Musk replied to Fedorov’s post by defending SpaceX’s role, saying, “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,” and he added that Starlink is for “civilian or defensive activities and cannot be used for offensive military action.”
Zelensky said, “There will be deaths, of course, if attacks continue and Starlink does not function,” and he told Piers Morgan, “I sincerely hope this is a mistake, perhaps a serious technical problem.”
What is at stake
Ukrainian officials said restrictions on Starlink’s military service operated by SpaceX caused several missions to fail and hindered the operation of drones, reconnaissance, and supply on the front.
Sergei Pyskristenov wrote, “Our armed forces did not receive a warning about these restrictions, which led to the failure of a number of missions,” and he tied the measures to what he described as the “current political situation.”
The BBC reported that Russia launched deadly attacks against Ukraine that killed several people in Kyiv, and it said at least 600,000 people across Ukraine were left without electricity.
The Hill reported that Sen. Thom Tillis called on Musk to explain the incident, writing, “please tell me these overnight disruptions to Starlink terminals in Ukraine were unintended — that @SpaceX is doing everything it can to fix a temporary glitch.”