Musk Suggests US Government Behind Ukraine Starlink Speed Limits

Elon Musk suggested the US government may have driven unexpected speed restrictions on SpaceX’s Starlink network in Ukraine, after Kyiv officials reported that limits capped weapon speeds at 100mph on Tuesday night, disrupting military missions while heavy Russian airstrikes battered the country’s energy infrastructure and killed civilians.

Ukraine’s battlefield operations faced sudden disruptions this week. Unexpected speed limits applied to SpaceX’s Starlink internet network went into effect on Tuesday night. The measures capped speeds at 100mph (160km/h), rendering any connected weapons traveling faster than that threshold unable to maintain network connectivity.

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.Starlink is a commercial service owned and controlled by SpaceX. Usage of Starlink is limited to civilian or defensive activities…

— https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2110445577184133456

Starshield Operations Tied to Washington

Responding to public pleas from Ukrainian officials, Elon Musk stated that the military-grade sister service, Starshield, is operated by Washington. Writing on X, Musk explained that low-Earth-orbit satellites serve civilian and defensive needs but cannot facilitate offensive military actions as a commercial entity.

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.

Elon Musk, SpaceX owner

Musk addressed the situation after former Ukrainian defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov urged him on X to remove the restrictions entirely, calling it critical for the nation’s defense.

Ukraine Says Musk's SpaceX Is Restricting Its Starlink Military Use—Drone Missions Affected

Intense Russian Bombardment Strikes Energy Grids

The speed limitations coincided with a massive assault by Russian forces against Ukrainian cities, targeting communications and energy facilities used by the military. The bombardment left at least 600,000 residents without electricity. Meanwhile, regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha reported that Russian strikes in the Dnipropetrovsk region killed two people in the early hours of Thursday.

Zelensky Seeks Answers Amid Technical Disruption

President Volodymyr Zelensky described the assault as one of the largest attacks from Russia. He noted that although a significant portion of incoming drones were intercepted, critical infrastructure still sustained direct hits. Zelensky told UK media he hoped the connectivity disruption was an accidental technical glitch.

Instagram

I hope that it’s a mistake, maybe [a] huge technical problem. I don’t know, but we are asking to… switch [it] on.

Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine

However, an adviser to the Ukrainian president, Serhiy Beskrestnov, expressed skepticism on Telegram about the timing of the network throttling.

It is clear that this action cannot be a coincidence and is related to the current political situation.

Serhiy Beskrestnov, adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky

Partial Restoration Fails to Satisfy Kyiv

By Wednesday evening, Ukraine reported that Starlink speeds had been partially restored. Even so, officials continued pressing for a complete lifting of the limits as recovery efforts and military operations proceeded amid ongoing attacks.