Ukraine Restricts Starlink Operations — Musk Responds

SpaceX introduced restrictions on its Starshield service, designed for military and government use, during the night of October 14. The announcement was made by Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to the Ukrainian president.

According to Beskrestnov, SpaceX limited the operating speed of Starlink terminals while they were moving. The restriction takes effect at speeds above 100 miles per hour, or approximately 160 kilometres per hour.

Beskrestnov said Ukraine’s defence forces had not been warned about the restriction in advance. He claimed that several military missions had been disrupted as a result and suggested that the measure might be linked to the current political situation.

Former Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said the service had been partially restored by Wednesday evening. He described the full removal of Starshield’s speed restriction as critical to Ukraine’s defence, thanked Musk and asked for his continued support.

About an hour later, Musk responded to the post.

“The US government owns and operates Starshield systems. Any restrictions on speed or use are set by the US military and ultimately by the president of the United States,” Musk wrote.

He added that Starlink was intended for civilian or defensive activities and should not be used for offensive military operations, saying such use would be inappropriate for a commercial company.

The US government did not issue an official comment. However, an unnamed senior US official told Axios that Washington was not involved in restricting Starlink operations in Ukraine.

Ukraine’s Defence Ministry told journalists that SpaceX was continuing to cap terminal speeds at 161 kilometres per hour. Officials added that connection quality had improved at speeds of up to 160 kilometres per hour.

Both services belong to Musk’s SpaceX. Starlink is a civilian satellite internet service, particularly useful in remote areas, while Starshield is designed for government agencies and military organisations.

On October 13, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told NPR that the administration of Donald Trump had warned it could stop sharing intelligence with Kyiv if Ukraine did not halt strikes on Russian oil refineries.