Ukraine says Starshield back to normal, Musk says Kyiv violated terms

On October 24, Ukraine announced that the Starlink satellite system and its military version, Starshield, had returned to normal operations after a week of disruptions. However, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk subsequently claimed that Ukrainian military personnel had violated the terms of service, using Starshield for offensive drone strikes to kill people. Neither Musk nor the US government, which operates Starshield using Starlink technology, claimed responsibility for imposing the restrictions.

Ukrainian officials stated that the restrictions, which limited Starshield operations to speeds of 160 kph, hindered the military's capability to intercept Russian attack drones and forced the cancellation of some operations. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Starlink and Starshield had resumed functioning at their pre-restriction speeds overnight, with speeds now reaching over 400 kph.

Ukraine does not utilize Starlink for long-range drone operations on Russian territory, typically operating at speeds of 70-90 kph, as highlighted by Ukrainian defense ministry spokesperson Serhiy Beskrestnov.

The restrictions, initiated by US President Donald Trump following a deal to buy Russian diesel, pressured Kyiv to cease striking Russian oil refineries. These measures ignited outrage in Ukraine, especially as they overlapped with allied intelligence warnings about impending Russian missile attacks. As of now, Ukraine relies on Starlink primarily for frontline communications and the deployment of fast Starshield-enabled medium-range attack drones, which have contributed to significant battlefield advantages this year.

Both Musk and US officials affirmed that any decisions concerning Starlink and Starshield limitations could only have been taken by the other party.