Ukrainian officials have disputed claims by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk that the military violated Starlink’s terms of service by using the civilian satellite network for offensive drone strikes. Serhii Beskrestnov, a defence technology adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, emphasised that restrictions on the civilian system in Ukraine make such usage impossible.
SpaceX’s Starlink and military-focused Starshield are vital for Ukraine’s wartime connectivity. Recently, Ukrainian drones connected to Starshield experienced connectivity issues during Russian air attacks, but officials reported that service was restored after speed limits were lifted. Beskrestnov noted that drones using the civilian Starlink system had speed restrictions of 70 to 90 km/h within Ukraine and didn’t operate in Russia, stating, “We cannot use commercial Starlink for deep strikes.” Musk acknowledged on Saturday that SpaceX had throttled Starlink in Ukraine.
“Using Starlink, a civilian commercial service, for offensive drone strikes to kill people has never been allowed, nor should it be,” Musk wrote. “Ukraine’s military violated Starlink terms of service and used it for offensive drone strikes to kill people. That loophole was closed last week.”
He highlighted that the US government controls changes to Starshield, the military-grade version of Starlink vital for Ukraine’s drone operations. US President Trump said he didn’t make that decision, while Vice President JD Vance hinted at White House coordination with Elon Musk.
Recent restrictions on Starshield have alarmed Ukrainian officials, leading to lost drones and disrupted missions. These developments have further strained relations between Kyiv and Washington, already affected by Trump’s reported deal to import diesel from Russia, which Ukraine viewed as a betrayal.
Starlink service was restored following a new US diplomatic initiative to end the war. Russia has agreed to resume three-way negotiations with Washington and Kyiv next month. On Friday, Kyiv and Moscow established a localised ceasefire around Oleshky, a town in southern Ukraine affected by the war, brokered by Melania Trump.
On Sunday, President Zelenskyy reported that Russia had launched nearly 2,300 drones at Ukrainian cities in the past week. He urged Western allies to expedite the delivery of interceptors, noting the week also saw around 1,600 guided bombs and 48 missiles targeting Ukraine. These attacks have severely impacted nine regions, damaging critical infrastructure and civilian homes.
Russia launched over 20 attacks on Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, killing four and injuring over a dozen. In Vinnytsia, a drone strike injured six and damaged a care home. In Kharkiv, strikes injured four, including rescuers, leading to accusations of double-tap attacks.
In Belgorod, two were killed and 13 injured from Ukrainian drone strikes. A Ukrainian strike in Oryol also killed four, targeting an electronics plant linked to missile production.
This article used information from The Associated Press.
