Elon Musk Says U.S. Military Controls Starlink Speed Limits Affecting Ukraine’s Weapons

Elon Musk has suggested that the U.S. government may control limits affecting how quickly some Ukrainian weapons can travel while remaining connected to SpaceX’s Starlink internet network.

Starlink is a critical tool for Ukraine, helping its forces guide drones toward Russian targets and protect the country’s skies. However, Ukraine said on Tuesday night that unexpected new speed limits were hampering its battlefield operations.

An adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the restrictions appeared to be deliberate and may have been linked to recent tensions between Kyiv and Washington.

Ukraine Reports New Starlink Speed Restrictions

Starlink, owned by Musk’s SpaceX, reportedly imposed a speed limit of 100 miles per hour (160 kilometers per hour) on Tuesday night. Under the restriction, any weapon traveling faster than that would lose its connection to the network.

Musk responded to calls from Ukrainian officials, including Zelenskiy, to restore connectivity. Zelenskiy described the situation to British media as a “big technical problem” and said he was asking for the system to be switched back on.

Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said partial restoration had taken place by Wednesday evening.

“Completely lifting StarShield speed limits is now critical to the defense of Ukraine,” Fedorov wrote on X, thanking Musk and asking for his “continued support.”

Musk Says StarShield Is Controlled by the U.S. Government

About an hour later, Musk responded to Fedorov’s post and defended his company’s role.

“The Starshield system is owned and controlled by the U.S. government, and limits on speed and use are determined by the U.S. military and ultimately the president,” Musk wrote.

Musk added that Starlink “cannot be used for offensive military operations because it is intended for civil or defense operations and is inappropriate as a commercial enterprise.”

The U.S. government has not commented on the restrictions.

How Starlink and StarShield Differ

Both Starlink and StarShield are owned by Musk’s SpaceX. Starlink is a civilian service that uses satellites in low Earth orbit to provide internet access, particularly in remote areas. StarShield is designed for government and military use.

Restrictions Follow Major Russian Attack

The restrictions were introduced after Russia launched a deadly offensive against Ukraine, killing several people in Kyiv and striking communications and energy facilities used by the Ukrainian military, officials said.

Zelenskiy described the assault as “one of the largest attacks” by Russia. He said that although “a significant portion of the drones were shot down,” there were also “some hits.”

At least 600,000 people across Ukraine were left without power, while residents said they received no advance warning of the approaching drones.

“It is clear that this action is not coincidental and is related to the current political situation,” Serhiy Beskrestnov, an adviser to Zelenskiy, wrote on Telegram on Wednesday morning.