Musk says Pentagon controls Starshield limits as Ukraine seeks unrestricted access

Musk says Pentagon controls Starshield limits as Ukraine seeks unrestricted access



Elon Musk was responding to a post on X by Ukraine’s former defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who said that “Starlink connectivity at speeds of up to 160 km/h is being restored,” but that “removing Starshield’s speed limit entirely is now critical for Ukraine’s defense.” — AFP pic


Summary

• Elon Musk clarified that any disruptions experienced by Ukraine in utilizing the Starshield satellite communications system fall under the purview of the US government, which owns and manages the system.
• The US military and ultimately President Trump determine any limitations on speed or usage.
• Former Ukrainian defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov acknowledged restored Starlink speeds but emphasized the need to remove Starshield's speed limits for defense purposes.
• The situation has drawn political criticism, with US Senate and House Democrats condemning the Trump Administration's reported restrictions, which they argue could be aiding Russia and impacting Ukraine's defense capabilities.

First Published: Thursday, 15 Oct 2026 9:07 AM MYT


WASHINGTON, Oct 15 — SpaceX boss Elon Musk said yesterday that any disruptions reported by Ukraine in using the Starshield satellite communications system would be the responsibility of the US government, not his company.

“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,” Musk said, referring to US President Donald Trump.


Musk drew a distinction between the Starshield system, which Ukraine relies on for battlefield communications, and the parallel Starlink civilian satellite system, which Ukraine also deploys but is not allowed to use for offensive operations. Both were designed by Musk’s SpaceX.


Musk was responding to a post on X by Ukraine’s former defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who said that “Starlink connectivity at speeds of up to 160 km/h is being restored,” but that “removing Starshield’s speed limit entirely is now critical for Ukraine’s defense.”


Fedorov then thanked Musk for his “continued support.”

Ukrainian defense officials have suggested Washington is behind slower speeds reported on some internet terminals that help the country’s military hit Russian-occupied territory and operate interceptor drones.


Ukraine has also accused the United States of helping Russia by failing to warn it of incoming missile strikes, with Kyiv hit by ballistic missiles for two nights in a row before air raid sirens could sound to warn people to take cover.

Opposition Democrats in the US Senate and House denounced the Trump Administration over the reported interrupted connections.

“Trump’s making a choice—and it directly aids Putin’s slaughter of Ukrainian civilians,” House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats said in a post on X, describing restrictions as “unconscionable” while Ukraine faced an onslaught of Russian drones and missiles.

In the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee, top Democrat Jeanne Shaheen said the “restrictions on Ukraine’s access to Starshield must stop immediately,” adding that “lives are at stake.”

Shaheen also said that the defense department is required to notify “Congress if it pauses or downgrades intelligence sharing with Ukraine,” and called on Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth to immediately provide that notification if there are changes.

Republican Senator Tom Tillis also voiced concern, posting on X: “Supporting Ukrainian sovereignty—or at the very least, allowing for it—should not be a gray area for the US government or for American corporations.”

Trump, facing key midterm elections next month in which fuel prices are a major issue, has blamed Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries for the squeeze on supplies and increase in prices at the pump.

A senior official in Kyiv confirmed that the United States had in recent days threatened to stop providing intelligence about Russian missile launches that Ukraine uses to thwart attacks.

Trump denied doing so on Tuesday. — AFP



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Ukraine accuses US of helping Russia as Starlink restrictions hamper battlefield response



Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on US tech billionaire Elon Musk to restore Starlink, which Kyiv says has been slowed down. — AFP pic


Summary

• Ukraine has accused the United States of aiding Russia by not providing warnings about missile strikes and by implementing restrictions on the Starlink communication system vital for Ukrainian military operations.
• President Zelensky urged Elon Musk to restore Starlink services, while Elon Musk attributed any service disruptions to the US government.
• Zelensky expressed a sense of betrayal following former President Trump's diesel deal with Moscow, accusing Washington of potentially assisting Russia, and claimed recent missile strikes exposed Ukraine's vulnerability due to inadequate intelligence and communication limitations.
• Meanwhile, Kremlin officials observed these developments for potential shifts in US backing for Ukraine.

First Published: Thursday, 15 Oct 2026 9:08 AM MYT



KYIV, Oct 15 — Ukraine yesterday accused the United States of helping Russia by failing to warn it of incoming missile strikes and hobbling Kyiv’s military response through changes to the Starlink system it uses on the battlefield.


Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on US tech billionaire Elon Musk to restore Starlink, which Kyiv says has been slowed down.


“I hope that it’s a mistake, maybe huge technical problem,” Zelensky told UK journalist Piers Morgan. “I don’t know, but we are asking to do it, to switch (it) on.”


Former Ukrainian defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov later said that “Starlink’s operation at speeds up to 160 km/h is being restored. Strike drones and interceptor drones should be able to fly again”.


Musk said any disruption was the responsibility of the US government, not his SpaceX company.

He drew a distinction between the Starshield system, which Ukraine relies on for battlefield communications, and the parallel Starlink civilian satellite system, which Ukraine also deploys but is not allowed to use for offensive operations.


“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,” Musk said, referring to US President Donald Trump.

Zelensky replied in the affirmative when asked if he felt “betrayed” after Trump announced a diesel-supply deal with heavily sanctioned Moscow.

“It’s painful when President Trump chooses one side, not our side,” he said. “I think his advisors are wrong. I don’t know who is pushing him not to the right side. This is not (the) right side of history,”

Zelensky had framed the lack of warnings from allies about a wave of powerful strikes on Tuesday night and early Wednesday as “completely unjust”, and accused Russia of wilfully flouting a supposed “energy ceasefire” announced unilaterally by Trump.

A senior official in Kyiv confirmed that the United States had in recent days threatened to stop providing intelligence about Russian missile launches that Ukraine uses to thwart attacks. Trump denied doing so on Tuesday.

Defence officials also suggested Washington was behind slower speeds reported on some internet terminals which help Ukraine’s military hit Russian-occupied territory and operate interceptor drones.

“It’s obvious they (the United States) are helping Russia for some reason,” the senior official told AFP.

Zelensky adviser Sergiy Beskrestnov said the attacks and Starlink restrictions were more than a coincidence.

“Through their actions, our partners are depriving us of one of the few chances we have to defend the country against jet-powered Shahed drones,” he wrote on Telegram.

Close contact

In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia was watching for any sign that Washington’s backing for Ukraine may have shifted.

“We are carefully noting all this. It is too early to draw any systemic conclusions,” he told reporters.

President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy on economic cooperation, Kirill Dmitriev, meanwhile said the first contracts on providing diesel to the United States would be signed in the coming days.

“We are in close, hourly contact with the American side, and everything is moving very quickly,” he added.

Trump, facing crunch mid-term elections next month, has blamed Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries for the squeeze on fuel supplies and increase in prices at the pump.

But most experts say the real reason is the joint US and Israeli attacks on Iran since late February, which have seen Tehran block off the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for oil and gas shipments.

‘Disrespect’

Ballistic missiles have now struck the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, for two nights running, before air raid sirens could sound in time to warn people to take cover in basements, bomb shelters or metro stations.

“Russia has never before shown such ostentatious disrespect toward the United States,” said Zelensky, accusing Moscow of squandering a chance to ease hostilities.

The lack of warning has been reported only rarely during the conflict and Ukrainian officials have previously suggested the Russian military’s use of hard-to-detect missiles or potential technical issues could be to blame.

Fifteen people were killed around the country in the latest round of strikes, while significant damage to energy facilities and equipment knocked out power to swathes of Kyiv.

Power plants came under ballistic-missile attack in the eastern Kharkiv region, while Zhytomyr in the northwest, Sumy in the northeast and Chernigiv in the north were also hit.

Russia has previously targeted Ukraine’s power stations and heating infrastructure, crippling supplies before winter, when temperatures can plummet to as low as -20C. — AFP