Starlink: Musk accuses Ukraine of violating terms over drone attacks

SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk has accused Ukraine’s military of violating Starlink’s terms of service by using the satellite internet network for offensive drone attacks, as Ukrainian officials report that access to Starlink and Starshield has been restored.

In a post on X on Saturday, Musk alleged that Ukrainian forces had “violated Starlink terms of service and used it for offensive drone strikes to kill people”. He said the loophole had been closed the previous week, referring to restrictions reportedly introduced to limit connections involving fast-moving drones.

Musk also stressed that Starshield, a satellite communications system designed for government and military use, operates separately from commercial Starlink and remains under US government control.

Despite his criticism, Musk acknowledged the importance of Starlink to Ukraine’s defence. He warned that shutting down the service entirely could cause Ukraine’s front line to collapse immediately, highlighting the country’s dependence on satellite communications during the war.

Ukrainian officials rejected Musk’s allegations. Serhiy Beskrestnov, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky, disputed the claim that Ukraine had used commercial Starlink for attacks inside Russia.

Beskrestnov argued that speed restrictions and the lack of Starlink service over Russian territory made it technically impossible for Ukrainian forces to use the commercial network for medium- and long-range drone strikes.

Serhiy Sternenko, a former adviser to Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence, also challenged Musk’s account. He maintained that civilian Starlink terminals could not support the drone missions in question and argued that operations requiring the relevant satellite communications could only use Starshield.

The dispute emerged as Ukraine’s Defence Ministry announced on Saturday that access to Starlink and Starshield had been restored.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Yevheniy Khmara said monitoring systems had detected a recovery in connection speeds across both services. According to his statement, speeds exceeding 400 kilometres per hour were being recorded, suggesting that restrictions affecting military operations had eased.

For more than a week, Ukrainian forces had reportedly faced speed limits on Starshield terminals used by the military. The restrictions complicated efforts to intercept fast-moving Russian drones.

The issue also triggered political controversy in Washington. US President Donald Trump reportedly said he had asked Musk to lift restrictions affecting Ukraine’s access to the military-grade communications system.

However, Trump and senior US officials denied making the call to restrict Ukraine’s use of Starshield. Musk, meanwhile, said in a social media post the previous week that the Trump administration was responsible for the ban.

The disagreement has highlighted Ukraine’s reliance on satellite communications for battlefield coordination, surveillance and drone operations. It has also raised questions about the control of privately operated technology and its availability during wartime.

Meanwhile, fighting continued across Ukraine and Russia. Ukrainian authorities reported that Russia launched more than 153 unmanned aerial vehicles overnight, targeting locations including large department stores and warehouses. At least three people were killed and 25 injured, according to Ukrainian officials.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence, meanwhile, reported that Ukrainian attacks had killed at least two people and injured 22 others. The ministry said Russian air defences had intercepted 532 Ukrainian drones and reported strikes on industrial facilities across several regions.

The competing claims over Starlink come as both countries continue to rely on drones and advanced communications technology, underlining the growing strategic importance of satellite networks in the conflict.