{
  "id": 16451625,
  "title": "Musk accuses Ukraine of violating Starlink’s terms of service",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/25/musk-accuses-ukraine-of-violating-starlinks-terms-of-service-16451625",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-25T08:59:46.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/musk-accuses-ukraine-of-violating-starlinks-terms-of-service/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Elon Musk has stated that SpaceX restricted Ukraine's Starlink internet service because the Ukrainian military violated terms of service by using the civilian commercial network for offensive drone strikes. According to BBC World and BBC News, Musk denied responsibility for a simultaneous issue with Starshield, the company's military-grade counterpart. Musk wrote on X that the loophole allowing the use of Starlink for offensive strikes was closed last week.\n\nUkraine's Defense Ministry reported on 24 October that military satellite links are working at full speed again after a cap had previously hobbled drones. While Ukraine had previously stated that connections on both Starlink and Starshield cut out above 161 km/h (100 mph), the ministry recorded stable connections above 400 km/h (250 mph). President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted the restoration began overnight and said the speeds are now sufficient for defending against jet-powered Shahed drones.\n\nUkrainian presidential adviser Serhii Beskrestnov described Musk's claims as \"very strange,\" and a drone volunteer replied that civilian Starlink could not fly such missions. BBC World reported that Musk had earlier denied deliberately throttling the connection, which Ukraine says hampered defensive operations for more than a week. These connectivity issues emerged during a row regarding Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 10,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Interfax-Ukraine",
        "title": "Defense Ministry records cases of Starlink losing connection at 161 km/h – sources",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/23/defense-ministry-records-cases-of-starlink-losing-connection-at-161",
        "published": "2026-10-23T08:27:37.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Voice of Ukraine",
        "title": "Ukraine's Defense Ministry reports Starlink terminals working again at speeds above 161 km/h",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/ukraines-defense-ministry-reports-starlink-terminals-working-again-at",
        "published": "2026-10-24T11:54:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "ABC News AU",
        "title": "Ukraine says Starlink at normal speed after delays impede military",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/ukraine-says-starlink-at-normal-speed-after-delays-impede-military",
        "published": "2026-10-24T13:09:37.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Ukrinform - Politics",
        "title": "Starlink and Starshield back to required speeds – Zelensky",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/starlink-and-starshield-back-to-required-speeds-zelensky",
        "published": "2026-10-24T14:15:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Moscow Times",
        "title": "Starlink in Ukraine Back to Normal After Week of Throttling",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/starlink-in-ukraine-back-to-normal-after-week-of-throttling",
        "published": "2026-10-24T15:18:06.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "PBS NewsHour",
        "title": "Ukraine's Starlink satellite speeds restored after a week of front-line disruption",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/ukraines-starlink-satellite-speeds-restored-after-a-week-of-front",
        "published": "2026-10-24T16:05:47.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "BBC News",
        "title": "Ukraine depends on Starlink - can Europe plug the gap?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/ukraine-depends-on-starlink-can-europe-plug-the-gap",
        "published": "2026-10-24T23:00:08.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Hill",
        "title": "Musk says he was behind Starlink's slowdown in Ukraine",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/25/musk-says-he-was-behind-starlinks-slowdown-in-ukraine",
        "published": "2026-10-25T00:44:31.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "KahawaTungu",
        "title": "Musk accuses Ukraine of violating Starlink’s terms of service",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/25/musk-accuses-ukraine-of-violating-starlinks-terms-of-service",
        "published": "2026-10-25T05:29:17.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}