SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has confirmed that the Trump Administration controls speed limitations on Starlink connectivity during the Ukraine conflict, directly contradicting previous claims by Ukrainian officials. According to MS NOW, Musk stated that 'Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS'. This confirmation came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously suggested the restrictions were 'deliberately imposed' by the US during the conflict. The conflicting accounts have left unanswered who authorized the restrictions and why they were introduced without warning. As reported by MS NOW, SpaceX provided no prior warning to the Ukrainian government about the limitation, with Ukrainian forces learning about the Starshield speed restrictions from customer support after filing a complaint about operational issues.
Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov reported Wednesday evening that Starlink connectivity was being restored at speeds of up to 160 kilometers per hour (100 miles per hour). However, as reported by MS NOW, the current speed limitations continue to complicate efforts to intercept Russia's increasingly frequent jet-powered drones, with one source stating that the speed restriction affects all defense operations and logistics, giving Russians 'a real leverage on the frontline' at a time when Ukraine has effectively stopped their advances. The restrictions affect both civilian and military-grade systems, with neither system able to connect to data from objects traveling more than 100 miles per hour, making drone operations significantly harder to control. Fedorov emphasized that 'Removing Starshield's speed limit entirely is now critical for Ukraine's defense' and thanked Musk for his continued support.
The speed restrictions came as Russia launched deadly attacks against Ukraine that killed several people in Kyiv, officials said, and hit communications and energy facilities used by Ukraine's military. Zelensky described it as 'one of the largest attacks' from Russia, with at least 600,000 people across Ukraine left without electricity. The tensions have been compounded by US President Donald Trump's growing frustration towards Ukraine as it continues to strike Russian energy facilities. Trump has threatened to restrict intelligence sharing if Zelensky does not sign up to his energy ceasefire, though Trump denied this on Tuesday. The timing of the Starshield changes coincides with Ukrainian officials saying the US and allied partners have not been giving them the same amount of early warnings about incoming Russian ballistic missile attacks.
The restrictions have sparked significant bipartisan criticism in the US Congress. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-S.C., wrote to Musk on X, stating 'I'm confident this does not reflect a change in SpaceX policy because if so, intentionally degrading Ukraine's ability to defend itself might be construed as aiding and abetting a mass murderer' and asking him to clarify SpaceX's position. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., said Trump's decision to reduce intelligence sharing with Ukraine and access to Starlink equated to 'aiding the invader & the war criminal who bombs cities' and threatens to reduce congressional support for the Trump administration. 'Their agenda is dead unless they change paths,' Bacon wrote on X. The White House, Pentagon and SpaceX did not respond to requests for comment on the restrictions.
