Ukrainian officials object space x CEO Elon Musk claimed that Ukraine’s military violated Starlink’s terms of service, prompting the company to restrict Ukraine’s access to its high-speed satellite technology.
In an online post on Sunday, Serhiy Beskhrestnov, a defense technical adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, disputed Musk’s reasons for temporarily restricting Ukraine’s access to high-speed services from SpaceX’s Starlink satellite communications system.
Ukrainian officials have previously said the restrictions would disrupt the country’s military drone services and leave the country vulnerable to Russian attack.
“The Ukrainian military violated Starlink’s terms of service and used Starlink in offensive drone attacks to kill people,” Musk claimed in a post on X on Saturday.
Beskrestnov denied Musk’s claims, arguing that existing restrictions on the system would have made it “physically impossible” for Ukraine to use Starlink in the type of attack the SpaceX CEO described.
“It is very strange that Elon Musk is not aware of the restrictions on Starlink operations in Ukraine,” Beskrestnov wrote in a Telegram post, noting that the civilian Starlink system in Ukraine “does not function on Russian territory” and that Ukrainian drones operating Starlink have been subject to speed limits of 70-90 km/h (approximately 43-56 mph) for several months.
“Therefore, it is physically impossible to use commercial Starlink for long-range or medium-range attack operations,” Beskhrestnov wrote.
Ukrainian authorities confirmed on Saturday that high-speed service for SpaceX’s Starlink and StarShield satellite communications systems had been restored. The country blames the limited service for disrupting its drone air defense capabilities during frequent Russian air attacks.
Starshield is SpaceX’s military-focused government and national security satellite network, built on technology developed for Starlink, the company’s extensive commercial satellite internet network.
There was confusion and speculation over who ordered the changes to high-speed service, until Mr. Musk admitted he had been restricting the system.
At one point, Musk wrote in a social media post that the US government was behind the decision, although President Donald Trump claimed he did not know about it. Ukrainian officials also said Starlink or the United States imposed restrictions without warning, leaving the country blindsided.
Musk did not explain the company’s reported lack of notification to Ukraine before implementing the restrictive measures.
Musk and SpaceX did not respond to CNBC’s requests for comment.
Restrictions on Starlink and StarShield in war-torn Ukraine are forcing Ukraine and its allies to seek or build alternative “sovereign” satellite communications systems.
Poland’s deputy defense minister, Cesary Tomczyk, spoke about his country’s plans on a podcast called Strefa Influenceów earlier this month. Ukraine also announced a partnership with Norwegian and Finnish mobile giant Nokia and satellite manufacturer ICEYE to develop alternatives.
In addition to Ukraine, several other countries are exploring sovereign regimes. The European Union is building IRIS², a constellation of several hundred satellites, with the first launch expected in 2029.
SpaceX’s Starlink generated revenue of $5.25 billion in the third quarter of 2026, up from $3.1 billion in the same period last year. Revenue from consumer Starlink subscribers totaled $3.12 billion, and the company earned $2.13 billion from government and business customers in the quarter.
A wide range of customers, including non-governmental organizations, the governments of Poland and France, and the Department of Defense, pay SpaceX to provide Starlink and StarShield hardware and wireless internet services to Ukraine.
