Musk acknowledges SpaceX reduced Starlink speeds in Ukraine

Elon Musk stated on Saturday that SpaceX deliberately reduced the speed of Starlink internet service in Ukraine. The admission appears in a post on X and follows a similar confirmation by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy announced that access to Starlink and Starshield satellite links had returned to previous speeds. He noted that the restrictions hampered front-line operations for more than one week.

Musk justified the decision by arguing that Starlink is a civilian commercial service. He wrote that using it for offensive drone strikes to kill people has never been allowed. He claimed the Ukrainian military violated the terms of service by employing the system for such attacks. Musk said the company closed this loophole last week. He maintained that the U.S. government controlled changes to Starshield, the military-grade version of the service. This system underpins Ukraine's drone operations and communications.

Ukrainian military commanders reported lost drones and disrupted missions during the period of reduced speeds. Zelenskyy said the restoration began overnight and was sufficient by Saturday morning. He stated that the recovery improved front-line logistics and defense against Russian jet-powered Shahed drones. The episode occurred amid a renewed U.S. diplomatic push to end the war. Russia agreed on Wednesday to resume three-way talks with Washington and Kyiv next month.

On Friday, Kyiv and Moscow agreed to a localized ceasefire around Oleshky. This war-ravaged town in the southern Kherson region is under Russian occupation. U.S. first lady Melania Trump brokered the agreement. The satellite speed dispute added strain between Kyiv and Washington. This tension follows a reported deal between U.S. President Donald Trump and Moscow regarding Russian diesel imports. Ukraine viewed that agreement as a betrayal.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara credited direct dialogue and Zelenskyy's diplomacy with Washington. He said the outcome mattered most for the military's drone work, logistics, and communications. Trump said he did not make the call but that Musk should not be blamed. Vice-President JD Vance hinted at White House coordination with Musk. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth denied any administration involvement.

Fighting continued across the region. Local officials said a man was killed and two others wounded in a missile attack on Loziva in the Kharkiv region. Moscow-installed authorities in Crimea reported blackouts after overnight Ukrainian attacks. Ukraine's General Staff said it hit a chemical plant in Tolyati and an electronics plant in Oryol. Local officials reported three deaths in the Oryol attack. Ukrainian drones also reached Russia's Omsk region, more than 2,000 kilometres from the border, where a drone attacked a logistics centre with no casualties.