Musk suggests US government may have imposed speed limits on Ukraine's Starshield drones

Elon Musk indicated on X that the United States government may be responsible for recent speed limits imposed on Ukraine's Starshield satellite service, which is used to guide drones and other weapons. The limits, set at 100 mph (160 km/h), caused some weapons to lose connectivity during battlefield operations on Tuesday night.

A adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky said the restrictions appeared intentional and were linked to ongoing tensions between Kyiv and Washington. Zelensky had previously asked Musk to restore full connectivity, describing the limits as a possible technical error.

"Removing Starshield's speed limit entirely is now critical for Ukraine's defense," wrote former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov on X, thanking Musk and urging continued support. He reiterated that Starshield is owned and controlled by the US government and that any speed or usage limits are decided by the US military and ultimately the president.

Musk responded that Starlink, the civilian counterpart to Starshield, is intended for civilian or defensive activities and should not be used for offensive military action, as that would be inappropriate for a commercial company.

The speed restrictions coincided with Russian attacks that damaged communications and energy infrastructure in Ukraine, leaving hundreds of thousands without electricity. Zelensky's adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov wrote on Telegram that the action could not be a coincidence and was related to the current political situation.

Zelensky has claimed the United States threatened to limit intelligence sharing unless he accepted a cease-fire linked to US energy policy, a claim that President Trump denied during a visit to London.