Musk confirms SpaceX slowed Ukraine's Starlink network for seven days

Elon Musk confirmed on Saturday that SpaceX ordered the reduction in Starlink speeds in Ukraine, a move that disrupted military operations for more than a week. The admission appeared in a post on X after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that access to Starlink and Starshield satellite links had returned to previous levels. Zelenskyy noted that the slowdown hampered front-line logistics and defense against Russian jet-powered Shahed drones. He stated that restoration began overnight and was complete by Saturday morning, describing the speeds as sufficient for current needs.

Musk defended the restriction by arguing that Starlink is a civilian commercial service. He wrote that using the platform for offensive drone strikes to kill people was never permitted under the terms of service. Musk claimed the Ukrainian military violated these rules and that the loophole was closed last week. However, he maintained that the U.S. government controls any changes to Starshield, the military-grade version of the system. He defended SpaceX's overall role in strengthening Ukraine's defenses since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Ukrainian officials expressed alarm over the Starshield restrictions. Commanders reported lost drones and disrupted missions during the slowdown period. Ukrainian Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara credited direct dialogue and Zelenskyy's diplomacy with Washington for the resolution. Khmara said the outcome mattered most for the front, the military, drone work, logistics, and communications. He emphasized that the restoration allowed operations to resume without the previous limitations.

The episode occurred amid a fresh U.S. diplomatic push to end the war. Russia agreed on Wednesday to resume three-way talks with Washington and Kyiv next month. On Friday, Kyiv and Moscow agreed to a localized ceasefire around Oleshky, a Russian-occupied town in the southern Kherson region. U.S. First Lady Melania Trump brokered that specific ceasefire arrangement.

Strain between Kyiv and Washington increased following the speed cut. This tension follows U.S. President Donald Trump's reported deal with Moscow on Russian diesel imports, which Ukraine viewed as a betrayal. Trump stated he did not make the call to slow the internet but said Musk should not be blamed. Vice-President JD Vance hinted at White House coordination with Musk. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth denied any administration involvement in the decision.

Fighting continued across the region during the disruption. Local officials said a man was killed and two others wounded in a missile attack on Lozova in the Kharkiv region. Moscow-installed authorities in Crimea reported blackouts after overnight Ukrainian attacks. Ukraine's General Staff announced strikes on a chemical plant in Tolyatti and an electronics plant in Oryol. Three people died in the Oryol attack. Ukrainian drones also reached the Omsk region, more than 2,000 kilometers from the border, where online retailer Ozon reported a drone attack on its logistics centre with no casualties.