Polish FM responds to Musk over Starlink slowdown in Ukraine: European customers watching you

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski expressed concern over SpaceX owner Elon Musk's actions following reports that Starlink satellite communications terminals in Ukraine had been limited in speed overnight into Wednesday. He questioned Musk, a "big man," about whether he was using his products for political purposes. Sikorski reminded European customers that Poland was watching Musk's behavior.

Poland continues to fund over 29,000 Starlink terminals in Ukraine. Earlier, Ukrainian presidential adviser Serhiy Flash Beskrestnov revealed that SpaceX had restricted Starlink terminal speeds while in motion, impacting missions. He noted that the restriction only applies to the StarShield 'military package' and is set at 100 miles per hour.

Beskrestnov stated that the defense forces were unaware of this restriction, causing disruptions to missions. The minister emphasized that this restriction cannot be coincidental and is linked to the current political situation. Former Ukrainian Defense Ministry adviser Serhiy Sternenko confirmed the issue, citing military personnel's accounts.

Sternenko reported that the restrictions on Starlink terminal use have been tightened, with communications slowing down at speeds of 60-70 km/h. Musk previously denied Ukraine the ability to use Starlink for strikes on Russian territory, suggesting that Ukraine should seek a peace agreement with Russia. A U.S. congressional delegation that visited Kyiv in October called for expanded access to Starlink to counter Russian aggression.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed that work is underway on a satellite system similar to Starlink. The Polish minister had threatened to review Poland's spending on Starlink, around $50 million annually, in response to Starlink excluding Poland from the common European roaming zone. This isn't the first conflict between Sikorski and Musk over Starlink; last year, Musk called the Polish minister "small man" after Sikorski warned that Warsaw might seek alternative providers for the satellite service Ukraine finances.