Ukraine disputes Elon Musk's claim that its military violated Starlink's terms of service

Ukraine's military firmly dismissed Elon Musk's claims that Starlink was used for offensive drone strikes. A Ukrainian defence technology adviser confirmed that limitations prevented such usage, countering Musk's assertions. Connectivity issues have further hampered military efforts amid ongoing Russian assaults, prompting renewed diplomatic engagement.

Concurrently, Ukraine faces a surge in drone strikes on its urban centers. Serhii Beskrestnov, a defense technology adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said long-standing restrictions on the civilian system in Ukraine made such offensive use impossible. “It’s very strange that Elon Musk doesn’t know about the restrictions on Starlink’s operation in Ukraine,” he wrote in an online post.

SpaceX’s Starlink and its military-focused Starshield service are critical to Ukraine’s wartime connectivity. Earlier this month, Ukrainian drones connected to Starshield lost connectivity at high speeds, disrupting air defenses during daily Russian air attacks. Officials said the so-called speed caps were lifted on Saturday, and the service was restored.

Still, questions have persisted about who ordered the interruptions to satellite internet system that Kyiv has relied on for years to counter Moscow’s attacks. Musk acknowledged on Saturday that SpaceX had throttled Starlink in Ukraine. “Using Starlink, a civilian commercial service, for offensive drone strikes to kill people has never been allowed, nor should it be,” Musk wrote.

That loophole was closed last week.” But he maintained that the U.S. government controlled whatever changes happened with Starshield, the military-grade version of Starlink that is the backbone of Ukraine’s drone operations and communication. President Donald Trump has maintained that he didn’t make that call, while Vice President JD Vance has hinted at White House coordination with Musk.

Restrictions imposed last week on Starshield alarmed the Ukrainian military and government officials, with commanders reporting lost drones and disrupted missions. They also added to tensions between Kyiv and Washington, a relationship already strained by Trump’s reported deal with Moscow to import diesel from Russia that Ukraine viewed as a betrayal. The restoration of Starlink service followed a new U.S.