Elon Musk says SpaceX restricted Ukrainian Starlink connection over terms

Elon Musk has said SpaceX restricted Ukraine's Starlink internet service after Ukrainian officials confirmed that connectivity issues were resolved. According to reports from the BBC, CNBC, and the Irish Times, Musk claimed on social media that Ukraine violated Starlink terms of service by using the network for military activity, including offensive drone strikes. [1][2][4]

The Irish Times and CNBC reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the country's access to Starlink and Starshield satellite links had been fully restored. The reported restrictions had disrupted frontline operations and fast-moving military systems for more than a week. [2][4]

The BBC reported that Musk denied being responsible for a simultaneous issue with Starshield, the US-run military-grade counterpart to Starlink. While Kyiv has not officially commented on Musk's statements, Ukrainian presidential adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov called the post very strange, according to the BBC. [1]

SpaceX first activated its Starlink satellite internet service in Ukraine in February 2022 to replace degraded or destroyed communication networks. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Ukrainian Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara confirmed that speed limits on the satellite connections had previously been capped, which hampered military drone operations. [13][16]