Musk says U.S. government controls limits on Ukraine's Starshield network
Elon Musk stated that any speed or usage restrictions on Ukraine's military-grade Starshield satellite system are set by the U.S. military and the president, after Ukraine reported disruptions.
SpaceX founder and chief executive Elon Musk said on X that Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the U.S. government and that any limits on speed or usage are decided by the U.S. military and ultimately the president. The comment came after Ukrainian officials accused SpaceX of imposing a speed limit on Starlink terminals in motion without prior notice, which they said disrupted military operations.
Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on defence technology, said the restrictions also applied to Starshield and affected missions that rely on the network, including interceptor drones used against Shahed drones. Musk distinguished Starshield as a military-grade network, while describing Starlink as intended for civilian or defensive activities.
Former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov thanked Musk for restoring Starlink connectivity at speeds up to 160 km/h and emphasized that removing Starshield’s speed limit is critical for Ukraine’s defence. The issue arises amid ongoing tensions between Kyiv and Washington over a proposed energy ceasefire with Russia, which President Donald Trump announced. Ukrainian officials have also reported a recent lack of intelligence warnings about Russian attacks.