Ukrainian officials have publicly rejected SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk’s claim that Ukraine’s military broke Starlink’s terms of service by using the civilian satellite internet network to carry out offensive drone strikes on Russian targets. Serhii Beskrestnov, a defence technology adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said on Telegram that long-standing restrictions on the commercial service inside Ukraine make such use impossible, according to reports published on 25 October by India Today and CNBCTV18.
Key facts
- Beskrestnov said the civilian Starlink system holds drones inside Ukraine to 70–90 km/h (43–56 mph) and does not function over Russia at all, both outlets report.
- “It’s very strange that Elon Musk doesn’t know about the restrictions on Starlink’s operation in Ukraine,” Beskrestnov wrote, in a post quoted by CNBCTV18.
- Musk acknowledged on Saturday that SpaceX had throttled Starlink in Ukraine, and said a “loophole” was closed last week, according to India Today.
- Serhii Sternenko, a former defence adviser, said Ukrainian drones that need satellite communications use Starshield, SpaceX’s military-focused service, WJAC-TV reports.
- Musk says the US government controls changes to Starshield; President Donald Trump has said he did not make that call, CNBCTV18 reports.
Why it matters
Starlink and Starshield are central to Ukraine’s wartime connectivity, India Today and CNBCTV18 both report, and the dispute is about who is allowed to switch parts of that connectivity off. In this site’s reading, it is also an unusually public demonstration of how SpaceX polices its own terms of service, and of what the company can still limit after a terminal is in the field.
For ordinary satellite internet customers, none of the three outlets reports any change to Starlink pricing, plan availability or service levels outside Ukraine. What the episode does show is that speed and coverage ceilings can be applied remotely to hardware a user already owns — a condition buyers are agreeing to at the point of purchase, whatever they pay.
The underlying facts also remain contested. SpaceX’s chief executive says the network was misused; Kyiv says it could not have been misused in the way described. Neither India Today nor CNBCTV18 reports independent confirmation of either position.
What Ukraine says the limits are
Beskrestnov’s argument is technical rather than political. From the speed ceiling and the absence of coverage over Russian territory, he concluded: “Therefore, we physically cannot use commercial Starlink for deep strikes or medium-range strikes,” as quoted by CNBCTV18.
WJAC-TV frames the same point as Ukraine saying the system’s technical limits make the allegation implausible, and adds Sternenko’s claim that missions requiring satellite communications rely on Starshield instead. None of the three outlets reports a response from SpaceX to those specific figures, or links to the original Telegram post.
What Musk said
Musk’s accusation, posted to his account on X, came hours after Kyiv announced on Saturday that Starlink and Starshield were fully operational again following more than a week of restrictions, according to India Today. “Using Starlink, a civilian commercial service, for offensive drone strikes to kill people has never been allowed, nor should it be,” he wrote, adding that Ukraine’s military had violated the terms of service and that the loophole was closed last week.
Earlier this month, drones connected to Starshield lost connectivity while flying at high speeds, disrupting air defences during daily Russian aerial attacks and leaving commanders reporting lost drones and abandoned missions, India Today and CNBCTV18 report. Officials said the caps were lifted on Saturday and Kyiv said both services were working normally again.
Responsibility is still unclaimed
India Today reports that neither Musk nor the United States government, which it says operates Starshield using Starlink technology, had taken responsibility for imposing the curbs. CNBCTV18 says Musk maintained the US government controlled whatever changes happened with Starshield, that Trump has said he did not make the call, and that Vice President JD Vance has hinted at White House coordination with Musk. WJAC-TV reports more flatly that US officials and Trump have denied directing the restrictions, so the accounts of who ordered the curbs still conflict.
Why Kyiv is shopping for alternatives
Because Musk places control of Starshield with Washington, the state of the US–Ukraine relationship bears directly on the service. CNBCTV18 reports the episode added to tensions already strained by Trump’s reported deal with Moscow to import Russian diesel, which Ukraine viewed as a betrayal; WJAC-TV lists that alongside changes to sanctions and concerns about US intelligence sharing and weapons deliveries.
Against that backdrop, WJAC-TV reports Ukraine and European partners are exploring alternative satellite internet and communications systems — consistent with the Finnish satellite agreements signed while the caps were in force.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Starshield, and who decides what it does?
Starshield is SpaceX’s military-focused service built on Starlink technology, and India Today reports the United States government operates it. CNBCTV18 describes it as the backbone of Ukraine’s drone operations and communications.
Did Musk say what the "loophole" was that SpaceX closed?
No. India Today, CNBCTV18 and WJAC-TV all report Musk’s statement that a loophole was closed last week without reporting any technical explanation from him of what it allowed or how it was shut.
How many drones did Russia launch at Ukraine in the past week?
Zelenskyy said on Sunday that Russia had fired almost 2,300 strike drones, about 1,600 guided bombs and 48 missiles at Ukraine over the past week, hitting nine regions and damaging power plants, grain stores and homes, CNBCTV18 reports. He renewed his call for faster Western deliveries of interceptors.
Which alternatives to Starlink is Ukraine looking at?
WJAC-TV reports a proposed partnership involving Ukraine’s Defence Ministry, the Finnish telecoms equipment maker Nokia and the satellite company ICEYE, with no timeline or value disclosed.
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