WASHINGTON — Elon Musk said Wednesday that the Trump administration, rather than SpaceX, was responsible for restricting a military version of Starlink in Ukraine, a move that triggered alarm across the war-torn nation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that the slowdown of Starshield, Starlink’s military counterpart, could cost lives by weakening Ukraine’s ability to repel Russian forces.
Ukrainian and European officials initially pointed the finger at Musk.
“Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government,” Musk wrote hours after the controversy erupted. “Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS.”
He distinguished Starshield from Starlink, saying, “Starlink is a commercial service owned and controlled by SpaceX.” He added that Starlink is restricted to civilian or defensive purposes and cannot be used for offensive military operations because that would be inappropriate for a commercial company.
Ukraine has depended heavily on Starshield for drone strikes and logistical missions in its fight against Russia. Ukrainian forces noticed that connectivity on drones traveling at speeds of 160 km/h or faster had been throttled.
By 2 p.m. ET, Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said connectivity at speeds of up to 160 km/h was being restored.
“Removing Starshield’s speed limit entirely is now critical for Ukraine’s defense,” Fedorov said. “Thank you, @elonmusk. We hope for your continued support.”
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Ukrainian officials said the disruption had compromised several ongoing operations against Russian forces.
“It’s a big mistake,” Zelensky told “Piers Morgan Uncensored” on Wednesday. “People will die.”
The restrictions emerged as President Trump and his administration criticized Ukraine over strikes on Russian oil refineries, blaming them for creating midterm political headaches by contributing to higher diesel prices.
On Tuesday, Russia launched a barrage against Ukraine, including a ballistic missile strike carried out without advance warning from the US for the second consecutive night, according to Ukrainian officials.
The US had previously provided Ukraine with intelligence warnings about impending attacks.
“The Pentagon, through Space Force, contracts with SpaceX for Starshield services, giving the department a direct role in administering the government’s agreements with the company,” a Ukrainian source familiar with the matter told The Post.
The source cautioned, however, that a Pentagon contract alone does not determine whether the military or SpaceX controls specific operational restrictions, including the newly imposed speed limit.
The Post contacted the White House and Pentagon for comment.
