Elon Musk has admitted that SpaceX slowed its Starlink satellite internet service in Ukraine, disrupting front-line operations the country relies on against Russia, the Associated Press reported in a story carried by NDTV.
"Ukraine military violated Starlink terms of service and used it for offensive drone strikes to kill people. That loophole was closed last week," Musk wrote on X. "Using Starlink, a civilian commercial service, for offensive drone strikes to kill people has never been allowed, nor should it be."
Speeds restored
Musk spoke after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said access to Starlink and Starshield had been restored to its earlier speeds. "The speeds are now where they need to be," Zelensky wrote, adding that this had improved front-line logistics and defence against Russian drones.
Ukrainian commanders had reported lost drones and disrupted missions during the slowdown, which lasted more than a week.
Who ordered it?
Musk said the US government controlled any changes to Starshield, the military-grade version of Starlink that underpins Ukraine's drone operations. Accounts from Washington have differed: President Donald Trump said he did not make the call and Musk should not be blamed, Vice President JD Vance hinted at White House coordination with Musk, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth denied any involvement.
Talks resume
The restoration comes amid a new US push to end the war. Russia agreed on Wednesday to resume three-way talks with Washington and Kyiv next month, and on Friday the two sides agreed a local ceasefire around Oleshky in the Kherson region, brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump.