(The Turkish Post) – Elon Musk said on Oct. 14 that the U.S. government, not his company SpaceX, is responsible for any restrictions on Ukraine’s use of the Starshield satellite network, after Ukrainian officials complained that their battlefield connections had been slowed.
The Starshield dispute has added to tension between Kyiv and Washington over U.S. support for Ukraine’s war with Russia. Ukrainian officials have also accused the United States of withholding warnings of Russian missile launches, and Democrats in Congress have criticized the administration of President Donald Trump.
Musk says the US military controls Starshield
“Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government,” Musk wrote in reply to a post by Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s former defense minister, on the social media platform X. “Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS,” he added, using an abbreviation for the president of the United States.
SpaceX designed both Starshield and Starlink. Ukraine uses Starshield, a military version of the network, for battlefield communications. It also uses the civilian Starlink service, which it is not allowed to use for offensive operations. Musk said use of Starlink “is limited to civilian or defensive activities and cannot be used for offensive military action.”
Ukrainian defense officials suggested that Washington was behind slower speeds on some terminals used to strike targets in Russian-occupied territory and to operate interceptor drones, which Ukraine uses to shoot down Russian attack drones.
Mykhailo Fedorov says Starlink speeds are being restored
Fedorov said on Oct. 15 that Starlink connections for terminals moving at speeds of up to 160 kilometers per hour were being restored. He said the remaining limit on Starshield was the main problem.
“Removing Starshield’s speed limit entirely is now critical for Ukraine’s defence,” Fedorov wrote. He thanked Musk for his continued support.
An adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had said on Oct. 14 that Starlink operations in Ukraine were restricted overnight.
Ukraine accuses US of withholding missile warnings
Ukraine has also accused the United States of failing to warn it of incoming Russian missile strikes. Ballistic missiles hit Kyiv on two consecutive nights before air raid sirens sounded. A senior Kyiv official confirmed that the United States had recently threatened to stop sharing intelligence on Russian missile launches.
Trump denied on Oct. 13 that he had made such a threat. He has blamed Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries for rising fuel prices in the United States, where midterm elections will be held in November and fuel costs are a major issue for voters.
Trump announced a deal earlier this month under which Russia would supply diesel, and he has said Ukraine should replace Zelensky. European leaders meeting in Brussels on Oct. 15 criticized the diesel arrangement.
Democrats criticize Starshield restrictions
Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee called the restrictions “unconscionable.” Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said they “must stop immediately” and called on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to notify Congress of any change to intelligence sharing with Ukraine. Republican Senator Thom Tillis also raised concern about U.S. support for Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Starlink and the war in Ukraine
Ukraine has relied on SpaceX satellite terminals since the first weeks of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, when ground networks were damaged. Its forces use them to link drone crews, artillery units and command posts along a front line that stretches for more than 1,000 kilometers.
SpaceX announced Starshield in December 2022 as a separate business line for government and military customers, built on the technology of the Starlink network. It uses dedicated terminals and stronger encryption but relies on the same constellation of satellites. The Pentagon is its largest customer, and Britain has also adopted the system.
