Musk said any limits on usage of the Starshield system, which Ukraine relies on for battlefield communications, was decided by the US military.
SpaceX owner Elon Musk appeared to blame the Donald Trump administration for the disruptions in the Starshield satellite communications system in war-torn Ukraine, saying any limits on usage are decided by the US military
“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,” he said on X, referring to US President Donald Trump.
Musk drew a distinction between the Starshield system, which Ukraine relies on for battlefield communications, and the parallel Starlink civilian satellite system, which Ukraine also deploys but is not allowed to use for offensive operations. Both were designed by Musk’s SpaceX.
“Usage of Starlink is limited to civilian or defensive activities and cannot be used for offensive military action, as doing so would be inappropriate for a commercial company,” he said.
Starlink connectivity at speeds of up to 160 km/h is being restored.
Removing Starshield’s speed limit entirely is now critical for Ukraine’s defense.
Thank you, @elonmusk. We hope for your continued support.
— Mykhailo Fedorov (@FedorovMykhailo) October 14, 2026
Musk was responding to a post on X by Ukraine’s former defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who said that “Starlink connectivity at speeds of up to 160 km/h is being restored,” but that “removing Starshield’s speed limit entirely is now critical for Ukraine’s defense.”
This came after Ukrainian defence officials suggested Washington is behind slower speeds reported on some internet terminals that help the country’s military hit Russian-occupied territory and operate interceptor drones.
Ukraine has also accused the US of helping Russia by failing to warn it of incoming missile strikes, with Kyiv hit by ballistic missiles for two nights in a row before air raid sirens could sound to warn people to take cover.
Donald Trump, who faces key midterm elections next month with fuel prices being a major issue, has blamed Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries for the squeeze on supplies and increase in energy prices.
In an interview with Piers Morgan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the restrictions on Starshield were “a big mistake” that “will bring a lot of human losses”.