Satellite Service: SpaceX Owner Admits to Slowing Internet in Ukraine

For more than seven days, Ukrainian front-line units operated with reduced satellite internet speeds, a disruption that now has a confirmed source. Elon Musk stated on Saturday that his company, SpaceX, was directly responsible for the slowdown. This admission came shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that access to Starlink and Starshield satellite links had returned to their previous, full-capacity levels.

The core issue was a disagreement over how the technology was being utilized. Musk argued that Starlink is a civilian commercial service and that using it for offensive drone strikes to kill people was never permitted under the terms of service. He claimed that the Ukrainian military had violated these rules by using the platform for such strikes, noting that the specific loophole allowing this practice was closed the previous week. In his view, the company was simply enforcing its own guidelines.

Ukrainian officials described the impact of the restrictions as significant. Zelenskyy noted that the hampered speeds negatively affected front-line logistics and defense against Russian jet-powered Shahed drones. He confirmed that the restoration of full speeds began overnight and was sufficient by Saturday morning. The president emphasized that the fix was critical for maintaining operational efficiency in a war where digital connectivity is a lifeline for coordination and defense.

The situation highlighted a complex dynamic between commercial tech and military necessity. While Musk defended SpaceX’s role in strengthening Ukraine’s defenses since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, he maintained that the U.S. government controlled changes to Starshield, the military-grade version of the system. This distinction matters because Starshield underpins much of Ukraine’s drone operations and communications. The restrictions had alarmed military and government officials, who reported lost drones and disrupted missions during the week of reduced speeds.

This episode occurs during a new diplomatic effort to end the war. Russia agreed on Wednesday to resume three-way talks with Washington and Kyiv next month. Additionally, Kyiv and Moscow agreed to a localized ceasefire around Oleshky, a Russian-occupied town in the southern Kherson region. This specific truce was brokered by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump. The timing of the internet dispute adds another layer of tension to these ongoing negotiations.

The incident has already added strain to relations between Kyiv and Washington. These relations were recently tested by a reported deal between 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 resolving the speed issue. He stated that the outcome matters most for the front lines, specifically for the work of drones, logistics, and communications.

White House figures have offered mixed signals regarding their involvement. President Trump said he did not make the call to slow the speeds but suggested Musk should not be blamed. Vice-President JD Vance has 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 decision.

On the battlefield, fighting continued despite the diplomatic and technical developments. Local officials reported that a man was killed and two others wounded in a missile attack on Lozova in the Kharkiv region. Meanwhile, Moscow-installed authorities in Crimea reported blackouts following overnight Ukrainian attacks. Ukraine’s General Staff said it hit a chemical plant in Tolyatti that produces materials for rocket fuel, as well as an electronics plant in Oryol that makes components for Russian missiles. Three people died in the Oryol attack. Ukrainian drones also reached the Omsk region, more than 2,000 kilometers from the border, where a drone attacked an Ozon logistics center with no reported casualties.