Ukraine Disputes Elon Musk's Claims on Starlink Use for Drone Strikes
Kyiv says its military cannot use the civilian satellite internet for offensive operations due to pre-existing restrictions.
Ukrainian officials have refuted claims by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk that the country's military violated Starlink's terms of service by employing the civilian satellite internet network for offensive drone operations. Serhii Beskrestnov, a defense technology adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stated that long-standing operational restrictions on the civilian Starlink system in Ukraine made such offensive use impossible.
Beskrestnov asserted that drones operated via the civilian Starlink system have a speed restriction of 70–90 kmh (43-56 mph) within Ukraine and do not function in Russia. "Therefore, we physically cannot use commercial Starlink for deep strikes or medium-range strikes," he wrote in an online post.
Musk had previously stated on Telegram that SpaceX had throttled Starlink in Ukraine and that using the civilian service for offensive drone strikes to kill people was never permitted. "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.
However, he also indicated that the U.S. government controls changes to Starshield, the military-grade version of Starlink that serves as the backbone for Ukraine's drone operations and communications. Questions have arisen regarding who authorized the recent interruptions to the satellite internet system, which Kyiv has relied on to counter Russian attacks.
Earlier in February, Ukrainian drones connected to Starshield experienced a loss of connectivity at high speeds, disrupting air defenses during daily Russian air raids. Officials reported that these speed caps were lifted on Saturday, restoring the service.
The restrictions imposed on Starshield last week caused alarm among Ukrainian military and government officials, with commanders reporting lost drones and disrupted missions. These events also heightened tensions between Kyiv and Washington, adding to existing strains over other issues.
President Zelenskyy stated on Sunday that Russia had launched nearly 2,300 drones targeting Ukrainian cities over the past week, reiterating his plea for Western allies to expedite the delivery of interceptors. He noted that these attacks, many of which were deadly, had impacted nine regions, damaging power plants, grain stores, civilian homes, and commercial facilities.