Ukraine's Starlink restrictions: Zelenskyy vs Elon Musk — Why is ‘Starshield’ so important in battlefield | Explained

Amid the war with Russia, Ukraine’s military operations have been affected by restrictions on satellite communications services, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy raising concerns over disruptions to Starlink connectivity, as per Axios.

Ukraine's complaint about the restrictions has drawn attention to both Starlink, and Starshield - a military-grade version of the network developed for the Pentagon by SpaceX.

Ukraine’s defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov also announced in a post on X that “connectivity at speeds of up to 160 km/h is being restored.” He said, “Removing Starshield’s speed limit entirely is now critical for Ukraine’s defense,” Fedorov added. He thanked Elon Musk, saying "..We hope for your continued support.”

Quick answers to key questions

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QUESTIONS

Starlink is a commercial satellite internet service owned and controlled by SpaceX. Starshield is its military offshoot; Musk said it is owned and controlled by the US government, though the systems share underlying satellite technology.

Ukraine uses Starlink for battlefield communications, drone operations, reconnaissance and intelligence gathering. Its connections can help drone operators maintain links over longer distances than conventional radio networks.

Restrictions can cause drones to lose connectivity when travelling above the allowed speed, disrupting missions. Ukrainian officials said the limits could hinder interceptor drones, reconnaissance and other military operations.

Musk said Starshield limits are decided by the US military and ultimately the US president. The articles also report that the restrictions’ origin was disputed, with a CNN report citing US officials who said they were not a high-level policy decision.

Ukraine’s defence minister said connectivity at speeds up to 160 km/h was being restored. He also said removing Starshield’s speed limit entirely remained critical, and a 160 km/h ceiling was reported to remain in place.

As cited by the New York Post, in an interview with British broadcaster Piers Morgan on “Piers Morgan Uncensored”, Zelenskyy accused SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk of restricting Ukrainian access to the Starlink satellite internet system, alleging that the disruption had affected military operations and the country’s ability to defend against Russian strikes.

“I am sure they knew what they did, absolutely,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the reported disruption, according to the New York Post. “Because it was 1 am at night, (when) Starlink was blocked by SpaceX and the United States," he reportedly said.

Emphasising the system’s role in protecting civilians, Zelenskyy said, “It's not just about attack. It's also about defending life.” He added, “People were killed because, not enough destroying, not enough interceptors, including interceptors with Starlink, which didn't work. Of course."

Zelenskyy also warned of the possible consequences, saying, “It's a big mistak...This decision will bring a lot of human losses...Of course, people will die. Of course, if attacks continue and if Starlink will not work, it's not helpful.”

He appealed for the service to be restored, saying, “So my message is absolutely, I hope that it's a mistake, maybe a huge technical problem, I don't know. But we are asking to do it, to switch it on.”

Starlink satellites operated by Elon Musk's SpaceX provide high-speed internet - something modern war relies heavily on. Kyiv has adopted it as a vital battlefield communications tool and also uses it in drone warfare, BBC reported.

Ukrainian forces rely on Starlink to operate reconnaissance and interceptor drones, gather intelligence and conduct other military operations. For example, Ukrainian drones are able to maintain stronger connections with operators over longer distances using Starlink, than conventional radio networks.

A sudden speed restriction for drones connected to Starlink means some battlefield "missions" have been disrupted, a top Ukrainian official told BBC.

What has Elon Musk said?

Musk distinguished between Starlink and Starshield. He said the two systems are separate, but in many cases they share the same underlying satellite technology. Starshield is said to be a military offshoot of Starlink.

In a post on X, Musk suggested the US government, and not SpaceX, could be responsible for the slowdown afflicting Ukrainian usage of the technology.

"Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government," he wrote. "Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS," he added.

"Starlink is a commercial service owned and controlled by SpaceX. Usage of Starlink is limited to civilian or defensive activities and cannot be used for offensive military action, as doing so would be inappropriate for a commercial company," Musk said.

Musk was responding to a post on X by Ukraine's former defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who said that "Starlink connectivity at speeds of up to 160 km/h is being restored," but that "removing Starshield's speed limit entirely is now critical for Ukraine's defense."

Fedorov then thanked Musk for his "continued support."

Who's blocking satellite interet services in Ukraine?

According to AFP, Ukrainian defense officials have suggested Washington is behind slower speeds reported on some internet terminals that help the country's military hit Russian-occupied territory and operate interceptor drones.

Ukraine has also accused the United States of helping Russia by failing to warn it of incoming missile strikes, with Kyiv hit by ballistic missiles for two nights in a row before air raid sirens could sound to warn people to take cover.

However, CNN, citing two US officials, reported that the decision to limit Ukrainian access to Starshield was not a high-level US policy decision.

Axios reported that the restrictions had raised questions about the implications of the disruption amid deteriorating relations between US President Donald Trump and Zelenskyy following a diesel supply deal involving Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and Moscow currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory.

SpaceX's satellite communications have proved vital to both armies during the four-year war, including a Russian attack on a moving passenger train, but earlier this year Musk cut the use of Starlink terminals for Russian forces in a move that blunted Moscow's advance in Ukraine and caused confusion among Russian commanders.