SpaceX Cuts Starlink Speeds in Ukraine for Over a Week
Elon Musk admitted his company restricted satellite bandwidth, citing violations of commercial terms by Ukrainian military forces.
By David Almasi ·
Satellite bandwidth for Ukraine's defense network was throttled for more than a week before restoration began overnight on Saturday. The interruption disrupted front-line logistics and drone operations during a critical phase of the war against Russia.
Elon Musk confirmed on social media that SpaceX ordered the speed limits. He stated that the company closed a loophole that allowed the use of the civilian service for offensive strikes. Zelenskyy reported that access to Starlink and Starshield links returned to earlier speeds by Saturday morning.
Musk argued that using a commercial service to kill people via offensive drone strikes was against the terms of service. He maintained that the U.S. government controlled changes to Starshield, the military-grade version of the system. Ukrainian commanders reported lost drones and disrupted missions during the period of reduced speeds.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the restrictions hampered operations for over a week. He noted that the restoration improved defense against Russian jet-powered Shahed drones. Zelenskyy credited direct dialogue with Washington for the outcome.
The incident occurred as U.S. diplomatic efforts to end the war intensified. Russia agreed on Wednesday to resume three-way talks with Washington and Kyiv next month. On Friday, both sides agreed to a localized ceasefire around Oleshky in the Kherson region, a move brokered by First Lady Melania Trump.
U.S. officials offered mixed accounts of their involvement in the decision. President Trump said he did not make the call but that Musk should not be blamed. Vice-President JD Vance hinted at coordination with Musk, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth denied administration involvement.
Combat operations continued despite the diplomatic shifts. A missile attack on Lozova in the Kharkiv region killed one man and wounded two others. Ukrainian strikes hit a chemical plant in Tolyatti and an electronics plant in Oryol, where three people died. A drone also reached a logistics center in the Omsk region, more than 2,000 kilometers from the border.
