SpaceX Confirms It Slowed Starlink for Ukraine After Military Use Dispute

Ukrainian military units have regained full speed access to satellite internet services after a week of restrictions that hampered their defense against Russian forces. Elon Musk confirmed on Saturday that his company, SpaceX, ordered the slowdown. The move disrupted critical communications and logistics for the Ukrainian army, which relies heavily on Starlink to coordinate operations and track enemy movements. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the service was restored overnight and was fully operational by Saturday morning. This restoration improves the ability of front-line troops to manage logistics and defend against jet-powered Shahed drones.

The admission by Musk follows a period of uncertainty regarding who controlled the throttling of the service. Zelenskyy had previously announced that access to Starlink and Starshield links had returned to earlier speeds. He noted that the restrictions had negatively impacted front-line operations for more than one week. Questions had persisted for days about which authority ordered the interruptions to the system that Kyiv has depended on since the start of the full-scale invasion. The clarity provided by Musk ends the speculation that the U.S. government directly ordered the changes to the civilian service.

Musk defended the decision by citing the terms of service for Starlink, a civilian commercial product. He stated that using the system for offensive drone strikes to kill people was never permitted. According to Musk, the Ukrainian military violated these terms by employing the civilian infrastructure for offensive actions. He indicated that the company closed this loophole last week to ensure the service remains strictly within its intended commercial parameters. This stance highlights the growing complexity of using civilian technology in a major armed conflict.

However, Musk maintained that the U.S. government retains control over any changes to Starshield, the military-grade version of the satellite network. Starshield underpins many of Ukraine's advanced drone operations and secure communications. Ukrainian military and government officials had expressed alarm over the restrictions on this specific tier of service. Commanders reported that the slowdown resulted in lost drones and disrupted planned missions. The distinction between the two systems is now central to understanding the technical and diplomatic dimensions of the recent outage.

The resolution comes at a significant moment in diplomatic efforts to end the war. Russia agreed on Wednesday to resume three-way talks with the United States and Ukraine next month. Additionally, Kyiv and Moscow reached an agreement on a localized ceasefire around Oleshky, a Russian-occupied town in the southern Kherson region. This truce was brokered by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump. These developments suggest a renewed push for negotiation, even as the technical dispute over satellite access strained relations between the allies.

The episode has added to existing tensions between Kyiv and Washington. These strains were recently tested by a reported deal between U.S. President Donald Trump and Moscow regarding Russian diesel imports, a move Ukraine viewed as a betrayal. Ukrainian Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara credited direct dialogue and Zelenskyy's diplomacy with Washington for the resolution. He emphasized that the outcome is crucial for the front line, specifically for the work of drones, logistics, and communications. The incident underscores the delicate balance between military necessity and commercial policy in wartime support.

White House officials have offered mixed signals regarding their involvement in the decision-making process. President Trump said he did not make the call to slow the speeds but also suggested that Musk should not be blamed for the outcome. Vice-President JD Vance hinted at some level of co-ordination between the White House and Musk. In contrast, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth have denied any direct administration involvement in the specific throttling of the service. This range of responses reflects the complex internal dynamics within the U.S. government regarding its support for Ukraine.

Fighting continued across the region despite the diplomatic and technical developments. Local officials reported that a man was killed and two others were wounded in a missile attack on Lozova in the Kharkiv region. In Crimea, Moscow-installed authorities reported blackouts following overnight Ukrainian attacks. The Ukrainian General Staff announced that it struck a chemical plant in Tolyatti that produces materials used in rocket fuel. It also hit an electronics plant in Oryol that manufactures components for Russian missiles, where three people were reported dead.

Ukrainian drones also reached Russia's Omsk region, a location more than 2,000 kilometres from the border. Online retailer Ozon reported that a drone attacked its logistics centre in the area, though no casualties were recorded. These strikes demonstrate the continued reach of Ukrainian air power. As the satellite internet services return to full capacity, Ukrainian forces aim to restore the operational tempo that was lost during the week of reduced speeds. The coming weeks will likely see a return to intense aerial battles as both sides leverage the restored technological edge.