Ukraine Accuses Musk's SpaceX of Crippling Starlink Drone Operations as Kyiv-Washington Ties Deteriorate
KYIV — Ukraine has accused Elon Musk's SpaceX of abruptly restricting satellite internet services used by its military, disrupting drone operations at the very moment Russian missile and drone strikes were knocking out power for hundreds of thousands of people, Ukrainian officials said Wednesday.
Presidential adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov said SpaceX imposed a speed limit of 160 kilometers per hour on StarShield, the military-grade satellite communications service, without warning. A Ukrainian defense ministry source told Reuters that some military units reported losing connections at speeds below half that threshold. Ukraine's 7th Rapid Reaction Corps said connections had been dropping for 10 to 20 seconds when drones traveled at 110 to 120 km/h — enough, the corps said, to make the drones harder to control and to disrupt several combat missions.
"The complications are substantial," a Ukrainian military source with direct knowledge of the operational impact told CNN.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned the decision could cost lives. "It's a big mistake... this decision will bring a lot of human losses," he said in an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan, calling on Musk to switch the service back on. Zelenskyy said it was painful that President Trump appeared to be taking Russia's side, adding that a president seeking to mediate must remain neutral.
Poland, which pays for Ukraine's Starlink subscriptions, reacted sharply. Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski publicly challenged Musk on X, asking whether he was "playing politics with your products again."
Musk denied responsibility for the disruption. "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," he said, referring to President Trump. CNN, citing two US officials, reported that the decision to limit Ukrainian access was not a high-level US policy decision.
There was at least partial relief overnight. Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said Starlink operations at speeds of up to 160 km/h were being restored, potentially allowing strike and interceptor drones to resume flights.
The controversy erupted amid visibly deteriorating relations between Kyiv and Washington. The development comes as President Trump has publicly criticized Zelenskyy, called for Ukraine to stop attacks on Russian oil refineries, and suggested Ukrainians should replace their wartime leader. The Starlink dispute unfolded alongside a major Russian bombardment that, according to Zelenskyy, damaged 30 energy facilities, left around 600,000 people without electricity, and killed six people in the western city of Lutsk.
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