SpaceX CEO Elon Musk acknowledged that the company had restricted Starlink internet speeds in Ukraine after Kyiv announced that satellite services disrupted for more than a week had returned to normal, Associated Press reported.
Ukrainian forces rely on satellite connections for battlefield communications, drone operations, and logistics.
Last week, commanders reported losing drones and having missions interrupted during the disruption.
Musk said SpaceX imposed the Starlink restrictions because Ukrainian troops were using the commercial service for offensive drone strikes, which he said violated its terms of use.
He separately maintained that the US government controlled changes to Starshield, SpaceX’s military satellite communications service, leaving responsibility for restrictions on that network unresolved.
Restrictions on Strikes Inside Russia
The news comes after the Kyiv Independent reported last month that Musk remained opposed to extending Starlink coverage into Russia for Ukrainian drone strikes, citing three people familiar with the discussions.
Kyiv wants to use satellite-connected drones against military targets, including launch sites for Russian Iskander and North Korean ballistic missiles.
Ukrainian terminals reportedly work in Russian-occupied Ukraine but remain disabled inside Russia, where Kyiv has not received authorization to use them.
One source said Musk considered such operations a potential escalation and believed approval should come from the White House.
According to the Financial Times, Volodymyr Zelensky asked Donald Trump during their July White House meeting to seek Musk’s consent. Trump reportedly made no commitment.