Musk says SpaceX restricted Ukraine's Starlink connection as service restored

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk claimed that his company restricted Ukraine's Starlink internet service, after Ukrainian officials reported that connectivity issues had been resolved. Musk accused Ukraine of violating its terms of service by using the service for military activity, but denied any responsibility for a similar issue with the US-run, military-grade Starshield system.

Ukrainian officials have not officially commented on Musk's latest claim, but a presidential adviser noted that Musk's statement was "very strange". The connection problem emerged during a broader dispute between Washington and Kyiv over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure. Musk's remarks and the restoration of the service came after US President Donald Trump reportedly asked Musk to "put it back", despite Musk denying any instruction to limit the service.

Musk stated that using Starlink for defensive operations is permitted, but offensive strikes are not allowed. He emphasized that Starshield is a different system controlled by the US government, and suggested that Ukraine should not use it for offensive strikes. Ukrainian military officials have not commented on Musk's claim, but it is clear that the restoration of the service has improved Ukraine's ability to conduct defense operations.