SpaceX Restores Ukraine Starlink Connection After Elon Musk Restricts Satellite Speeds

SpaceX throttled the Starlink satellite internet network across Ukraine for more than a week before restoring connections on Saturday, disrupting battlefield operations against invading Russian forces.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said satellite links to both commercial Starlink and the military Starshield system returned to required speeds overnight, aiding frontline logistics and defenses against Russian drones.

The weeklong interruption exposed Kyiv's deep reliance on private American technology for drone navigation and communications as tensions mounted between Ukrainian leaders and the White House.

"Using Starlink, a civilian commercial service, for offensive drone strikes to kill people has never been allowed, nor should it be," said Elon Musk, the chief executive of SpaceX.

"Ukraine military violated Starlink terms of service and used it for offensive drone strikes to kill people. That loophole was closed last week," Musk wrote on X.

Musk said the United States government retained authority over Starshield, the separate military-grade constellation that forms the primary backbone for Ukrainian combat operations.

Ukrainian officials disputed Musk's account, saying technical safeguards already prevented the civilian system from being deployed for armed drone strikes.

"It is very strange that Elon Musk is not aware of Starlink restrictions in Ukraine," said Serhii Beskrestnov, a Ukrainian defense technology adviser.

Beskrestnov said civilian Starlink equipment in Ukraine carries built-in speed restrictions of 70 to 90 kilometers per hour and remains completely disabled within Russian borders.

"Therefore, we physically cannot use commercial Starlink for deep strikes and medium-range strikes," Beskrestnov said.

Ukraine's defense minister Yevhenii Khmara said connection speeds rebounded to more than 400 kilometers per hour on Saturday, crediting direct diplomacy with Washington for restoring operational capacity for frontline troops.

The satellite slowdown followed disputes over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries, which President Donald Trump said had elevated global energy prices, The Star reported.

Statements from officials in Washington offered conflicting explanations of the episode. Trump said he did not order the slowdown, but Vice President JD Vance hinted at White House coordination with Musk, the Irish Examiner reported.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth both denied any administration involvement, while Trump later said he instructed Musk to restore the connection, according to The Star.

The restoration came alongside broader diplomatic maneuvering, including a localized ceasefire around the southern town of Oleshky and an agreement by Russia to resume three-way negotiations next month.

Kyiv remains reliant on SpaceX as European alternatives like the Iris² network remain years away from deployment, leaving open whether future satellite restrictions could once again threaten Ukrainian operations.