Ukraine said a speed cap on some Starlink connections disrupted battlefield operations, renewing questions about its reliance on commercial satellite communications and who controls their military use. Elon Musk said restrictions on the speed and use of Starshield, SpaceX’s military service, are set by the US military, with the final decision resting with the president. The US government has not commented.
Starlink speed cap disrupted some Ukrainian operations
Starlink, operated by Musk’s SpaceX, is used by Ukraine to support drone missions and air-defense communications. Ukrainian officials said an unexpected limit introduced on Tuesday evening interfered with battlefield operations. Under the reported restriction, weapons traveling faster than 100 miles per hour (about 160 kilometers per hour) would lose their network connection.
President Volodymyr Zelensky called for the connection to be restored, saying he hoped the incident was a mistake or a serious technical problem. Former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said late Wednesday that service had been partly restored, but that fully removing Starshield’s speed limits remained important to Ukraine’s defense. He thanked Musk on X and asked him to continue supporting Ukraine.
Musk says Washington controls Starshield restrictions
Responding to Fedorov on X, Musk said Starshield is owned and controlled by the US government. Any speed or usage restrictions are determined by the US military, he said, with the president making the final decision. Musk added that Starlink is intended for civilian or defensive activity, not offensive military operations, arguing that it would be inappropriate for a commercial company to participate in such actions.
Both services are provided by SpaceX, but serve different purposes. Starlink delivers internet access through low-Earth-orbit satellites, including in remote areas, while Starshield is designed for government and military use. Musk’s comments placed responsibility for restrictions with the US government. It remains unclear who initiated the specific limit, why it was imposed or how much of it has since been lifted.
Speed limit came amid fresh Russian attacks
The restriction emerged as Russia launched a new wave of attacks on Ukraine that killed several people. Ukrainian officials said people were killed in Kyiv and that military communications and energy infrastructure were hit. At least 600,000 people across the country lost power. Some residents said they received no warning before drone attacks.
Serhiy Beskrestnov, an adviser to Zelensky, wrote on Telegram early Wednesday that the change was unlikely to be coincidental and linked it to the political situation. Ukraine has not publicly presented evidence that the speed limit was directly connected to changes in relations with Washington, and the US government has not responded.
US-Ukraine tensions add to uncertainty
US President Donald Trump has recently criticized Ukraine’s continued attacks on Russian energy infrastructure. Zelensky said the US had threatened to restrict intelligence sharing to press Kyiv to accept Trump’s proposed energy ceasefire. Trump denied making such a threat on Tuesday.
During a visit to London on Wednesday, Zelensky discussed a US agreement with Russia to import 300,000 tonnes of Russian diesel. He said he felt betrayed, but that the issue was not simply personal. Any direct link between the agreement, the energy ceasefire and intelligence-sharing dispute, and the communications restrictions remains unclear. For Ukraine, the continuity of Starlink access and the authority to set limits on military use remain central concerns for battlefield communications.