Musk denies blocking Starlink in Ukraine

Elon Musk has pushed back against reports that SpaceX restricted Ukraine’s access to Starlink during its ongoing war with Russia. Responding on X, the SpaceX CEO said the service affected in Ukraine was not Starlink and suggested that the restrictions may have been imposed by the US government.

The clarification came after Ukrainian officials reported disruptions to Starshield, a government-focused satellite communications system that operates using the same satellite network as Starlink. Musk stressed that the distinction between the two services was important, saying Starshield is controlled by the US government rather than SpaceX.

Musk says Starshield is controlled by US government

Replying to Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov on X, Musk said, “Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government." He further explained that decisions concerning restrictions on the service were ultimately outside SpaceX’s control.

“Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS,” Musk added, pointing to the US military and President Donald Trump as the authorities responsible for such decisions.

Ukraine said on October 14 that it had unexpectedly experienced restrictions on Starshield, affecting drones used for both strikes and air defence. Ukrainian officials said connection speeds were reduced to 100mph (160km/h), meaning weapons travelling faster than that could lose connectivity.

“I hope that it’s a mistake, maybe a huge technical problem,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. He later described the restriction as “a big mistake,” adding, “This decision will bring a lot of human losses.”

Musk separately clarified SpaceX’s position on Starlink, saying the commercial service is not intended to support offensive military operations. “Usage of Starlink is limited to civilian or defensive activities and cannot be used for offensive military action,” Musk explained. “Doing so would be inappropriate for a commercial company.”

In another exchange on X, Musk replied “True” to a post arguing that SpaceX had no obligation to assist Ukraine but had stepped in when governments “dragged their feet.” The post also said Ukraine represented “for only a micro fraction of SpaceX’s revenue,” while SpaceX continued to face the “risks of operating amid Russian attacks and geopolitical pressure.”

Starlink has played an important role in Ukraine’s defence, with Ukrainian forces relying on the network for communications and drone-related operations. Musk’s latest comments, however, draw a clear line between Starlink and Starshield.

The US government has yet to publicly comment on the reported restrictions.

The controversy comes as Musk continues efforts to expand Starlink internationally, including in India, where the service is awaiting security clearances. Musk has previously accused Indian oligarchs of attempting to delay Starlink’s launch, allegations rejected by the Indian government. Starlink has also said it has already established infrastructure in the country ahead of its planned rollout.