Musk and Kyiv dispute Starlink use in drone strikes
Elon Musk, head of SpaceX, says Ukraine broke Starlink terms by using the service for offensive drone strikes, and says a loophole was closed last week. Ukrainian officials, including defense technology advisor Serhii Beskrestnov, deny the claim, saying Starlink terminals over Ukraine were already limited to 70 to 90 km/h and do not work over Russia. Earlier in October, drones reportedly lost connections when flying above 160 km/h. US President Donald Trump said on 22 Oct he had asked Musk to restore connectivity, and Ukrainian officials acknowledged high-speed service was restored.
Key facts
- The Wall Street Journal reported on 21 Oct that Musk personally asked for connectivity to be throttled.
- Ukraine uses Starlink for communications, logistics and drone defence; Starshield is used for offensive missions.
- Starlink's constellation has more than 11,000 satellites in low-earth orbit.
- By December 2024, the Pentagon had arranged Ukrainian access to Starshield through about 3,000 terminals.
- Musk says fear of Russian anti-satellite attacks is a main reason Starlink must remain civilian.
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Why it matters
Starlink access is a key communications and drone capability in Ukraine's war with Russia.
What changed
First published from Tagesschau, Asharq Al-Awsat, NBC News, PBS NewsHour and Hindustan Times