Elon Musk has suggested that the US government may be behind restrictions on the speed at which some of Ukraine's weapons can travel and stay connected to SpaceX's Starlink internet network. Starlink is a vital tool allowing Kyiv to guide drones to Russian targets and also protect its own skies. However, on Tuesday night, Ukraine reported that unexpected new speed limits were disrupting its battlefield missions.
Context
An adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated that he believed the restrictions were not a coincidence and were related to the latest strains between Kyiv and Washington. Musk stated that Starshield, the military-grade sister service to Starlink, is controlled by the US government, and "any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately [the US president]."
Developments
Musk, writing on X, responded to pleas from Ukrainian officials to restore connectivity, including a message from Zelensky who told UK media:
“"I hope that it's a mistake, maybe (a) huge technical problem. I don't know, but we are asking to... switch (it) on."
Starlink restricted speed limits on Tuesday night to 100 mph (160 km/h), meaning any weapons that traveled faster than that lost connectivity to the network. By Wednesday evening, the speed limits had been partially restored, according to Ukraine's former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov. He stated:
“"Removing Starshield's speed limit entirely is now critical for Ukraine's defense," thanking Musk and asking for his "continued support."
About an hour later, Musk defended his company's involvement, stating:
“"Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS."
