SpaceX owner Elon Musk issued an order that restricted Ukraine’s access to the Starshield satellite communications network last week, according to people familiar with the matter. The decision led to significant service slowdowns that impacted Ukrainian drone operations and battlefield communications, though the exact method of execution remains unclear.
The restrictions occurred following conversations between Musk and U.S. administration officials, as Musk sought clarity on President Donald Trump’s views on the conflict. Musk has expressed distaste with his company being seen as profiting from the war between Russia and Ukraine. He previously wrote on X that limits on Starshield are decided by the U.S. military and the president, while the commercial Starlink service is limited to civilian or defensive use.
Ukrainian military personnel reported that service degraded late Tuesday, October 13, with connection drops occurring at speeds as low as 90 km/hr. While commercial Starlink has a 70 km/hr cap, Starshield usually operates at speeds above 160 km/hr, which is required for the cruise speeds of Ukraine’s strike drones. President Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukrainian defense officials stated these limits hindered the country's ability to intercept Shahed attack drones and conduct long-range strikes.
The service restrictions directly affect the Ukrainian Armed Forces and its drone operators who rely on Starshield as a primary communication tool. According to an analysis by Ukrainian drone pilot Dimko Zhluktenko, the degradation of the service has resulted in tens of millions of dollars in equipment losses. Because there is currently no direct competitor to the SpaceX satellite constellation, the Ukrainian military remains dependent on the company's terms of service for its mid-range strike capabilities.
The scale of the disruption was noted by Ukrainian units who reported that their interceptor drones became inoperable when hardware could no longer maintain connection at speeds necessary for flight. While a White House official disputed claims that service remained restricted on Tuesday, October 20, President Zelensky stated that he had spoken with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the situation. A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has requested an investigation by the Department of Defense’s internal watchdog into the matter.
Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) called for a congressional probe into the matter during a weekend interview. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on Tuesday, October 20, that the Pentagon had not issued any directives to pull back service, suggesting the decision rested with SpaceX's interpretation of its terms of service. Future availability of the network remains a point of negotiation as Zelensky indicated he is seeking further discussions with U.S. officials within the next 48 hours to resolve the status of the connection.