Elon Musk said Saturday that the use of Starlink for offensive drone strikes was never permitted, defending restrictions on the satellite internet service as Ukraine relies on space-based communications to sustain itself during the multi-year war with Russia.
– “Using Starlink, a civilian commercial service, for offensive drone strikes to kill people has never been allowed, nor should it be,” Musk wrote on US social media company X – another of his companies – arguing that Ukraine’s military violated the service’s terms of use.
– The billionaire said SpaceX, which runs Starlink and has Musk as its chair, closed a loophole last week, while distinguishing Starlink from Starshield, a military-grade system controlled by the US government, according to his statement.
– “Starlink remains critical to the defense of Ukraine,” Musk said, adding that the front line would “collapse immediately” if the service were switched off. He described the statement as a factual assessment, not a threat.
– Shortly after Musk’s statement, US President Donald Trump told reporters that he spoke with Musk about the Ukraine situation but declined to give details.
– Ukrainian Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara said Saturday that after days of sub-par speeds, previous connection speeds had been restored following high-level contacts, according to state news agency Ukrinform.
– “We are recording speeds exceeding 400 km/h (nearly 250 miles per hour), and the connection is stable,” said Khmara, stressing the importance of reliable communications for troops, drone operations, and military logistics.
– Musk claimed SpaceX had done more than any other private company to defend Ukraine, while condemning those advocating continued fighting without offering realistic solutions.