“It was cut off without even prior notice”... Musk’s Starlink restrictions paralyze Ukrainian drone operations

[Financial News] Claims have emerged that SpaceX, Elon Musk’s space company, has unilaterally restricted the speed of the Starlink satellite internet service it has provided to the Ukrainian military, seriously disrupting operations on the front lines. The measure came as tensions between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were escalating, fueling controversy over what critics call “political retaliation.”
According to foreign media outlets including The Guardian on the 14th (local time), Serhii Beskrestnov, a technical adviser to the Office of the President of Ukraine, said on Telegram, “It has been confirmed that SpaceX last night capped the operating speed of Starshield terminals in moving military units at 100 miles per hour (about 160 km/h).”
Ukrainian military drone operations took a direct hit as a result. The Ukrainian military had been using Starlink on long-range attack drones that precisely strike Russian positions in occupied territory, as well as on drones supporting logistics. But once the drones exceeded a certain flight speed, communications were cut off or slowed sharply, leaving pilots unable to obtain live footage and forcing them to abandon numerous operations. “There wasn’t even any advance notice,” adviser Beskrestnov lamented. “The operation of interceptor drones used to take down Russian Shahed drones equipped with jet engines has also been paralyzed, with a devastating impact on air defenses.”
Ukraine believes the measure is closely tied to the recent “political situation.” Ahead of the November midterm elections, President Trump has repeatedly pressured Ukraine to “stop strikes on Russian oil refineries,” citing the need to stabilize oil prices. After President Zelenskyy objected, Trump criticized Ukraine on the 10th, saying it “needs a new leader.” Musk, the CEO, also backed the Trump administration’s position with a comment on the 11th: “I agree. It’s time for Ukraine to find a new leader.” The situation was compounded by indications that the US had stopped sharing military intelligence, leaving Kyiv, Kharkiv and other cities exposed to Russian airstrikes without advance warning from allies.
As the fallout widened, European allies that have supported Ukraine also reacted angrily. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, who previously traded barbs with Musk, strongly criticized him in a post on X: “Hey Musk, big shot. Are you playing politics with your products again? European customers are watching.” Poland is a key country that has directly covered the costs of Starlink subscriptions and operations in Ukraine.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense is currently maintaining urgent contact with the US government, SpaceX, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and others to establish what happened and devise a response.
[email protected] Park Ji-hyun Reporter