Zelenskyy calls Musk’s decision a “big mistake” over Starlink restrictions
Satellite services used by Ukraine’s military have been restricted, with some connectivity since restored, according to Ukrainian officials and Axios. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Elon Musk of deliberately limiting Starlink and said the decision would cost lives.
Ukrainian officials told Axios that restrictions were imposed Tuesday night on both SpaceX’s commercial Starlink service and Starshield, a separate system controlled by the U.S. government. Service was partially restored Wednesday, following complaints from Ukraine.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said Starlink connectivity was being restored for users moving at speeds of up to 160 kilometers per hour (100 miles per hour). He thanked Musk but said removing Starshield’s speed limit entirely remained critical to Ukraine’s defense.
“Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government,” Musk replied. “Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS.”
Musk said SpaceX controls Starlink and limits its use to civilian or defensive activities. He said the commercial service cannot be used for offensive military action.
Ukraine uses Starlink for military communications, logistics and defensive drones, including interceptors that target incoming Russian drones, according to Axios. Ukrainian officials said Starshield, which is used for offensive military operations, was also affected.
Speaking to Piers Morgan during a visit to Britain on Wednesday, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian personnel contacted SpaceX and American military officials overnight to ask whether technical problems were responsible. He said they did not believe the Starlink restrictions were a technical failure.
“I’m sure that they knew what they did,” Zelenskyy said when asked whether Musk had deliberately restricted the service.
“It’s a big mistake,” he said. “This decision will bring a lot of human losses.”
The restrictions followed a dispute over Trump’s diesel agreement with Russia last week, which Axios said included lifting sanctions on Russian oil sales. Ukrainian officials suspect the limits were intended to pressure Kyiv to accept Trump’s demand that it stop attacking Russian refineries, the outlet reported.
A senior U.S. official told Axios that the Trump administration had nothing to do with the alleged Starlink restrictions.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine had refrained from attacking Russian energy facilities for three days after Trump announced an energy ceasefire Sunday. He said Russia continued attacking Ukraine, including an overnight bombardment involving hundreds of missiles, among them 40 ballistic missiles directed at energy infrastructure.
The restrictions also followed a Russian ballistic missile attack for which Ukraine said it received no advance warning from its partners. Zelenskyy told Morgan that American officials attributed the intelligence issue to technical problems and said it would be resolved.
Asked whether he felt betrayed by the developments, Zelenskyy answered yes. He said Ukraine remained grateful for American support but criticized Trump’s approach to Russia.
“It’s painful when President Trump chooses one side, not our side,” he said. “We are okay that he’s in the middle, but if you’re in the middle, you have to stay in the middle, not on the wrong side.”
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
