Elon Musk has suggested that the US government may be responsible for speed limits imposed on equipment connected to SpaceX satellite services in Ukraine, following reports from Ukrainian officials that internet restrictions disrupted battlefield operations.
Ukrainian officials stated that unexpected speed limits introduced on Tuesday night interfered with military missions. The connectivity issues affected systems traveling faster than 100 mph (160 km/h), causing them to lose connection to the satellite network. Ukraine uses the satellite infrastructure to guide military drones and protect its airspace against Russian strikes.
Disruption and Restoration
Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's former defense minister, stated on X that connection speed limits were partially lifted by Wednesday evening. He emphasized that completely removing speed restrictions on the military-grade Starshield network is critical for Ukraine's defense and expressed gratitude to Musk for continued assistance.
Responding to Fedorov, Musk explained that Starshield, the military variant of the civilian Starlink service, is owned and managed by the US government. Musk stated that decisions regarding speed caps or usage limitations rest entirely with the US military and the US president. He added that the commercial Starlink network is intended strictly for civilian or defensive functions rather than offensive operations.
Political Tension and Russian Attacks
The operational disruptions coincided with severe political tension and fresh Russian military action. Serhiy Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, stated on Telegram that the sudden restrictions were linked to current political friction between Kyiv and Washington. The US government has not commented on the statements.
The network issues occurred as Russia carried out widespread attacks on Ukrainian targets, hitting energy and communications facilities. President Zelensky described the strikes as one of the largest attacks by Russia, leaving at least 600,000 people across the country without power. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has expressed frustration over Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, though he denied claims that Washington threatened to restrict intelligence sharing.
During a visit to London, Zelensky acknowledged feeling betrayed after the US arranged a deal to import diesel from Russia, though he noted the situation was complex. In separate posts on social media, Musk expressed support for comments suggesting it is time for Ukraine to select a new leader and end the conflict.
Source: BBC News
