SpaceX seems to have removed the limitations on the Ukrainian military’s access to Starshield, the military-grade variant of the company’s Starlink internet service. According to hinews, Defense Minister Evgeniy Khmara informed reporters that Starshield appears to be functioning normally once again, although the military is still in the process of conducting tests and has yet to receive an explanation regarding the previous restrictions. This development follows a ten-day period during which Ukrainian drones experienced a loss of internet connectivity when operating at speeds of approximately 100 miles per hour, leading to the military losing control of certain drones, while others became more susceptible due to reduced speeds.
Reportedly, President Donald Trump contacted SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Wednesday, urging him to reinstate the Starshield service. Both Trump and Musk have expressed criticism towards Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, with Musk recently stating, “Zelensky has gone too far.” The Wall Street Journal had previously reported that Musk directed SpaceX to limit Ukraine’s Starlink access, although some sources indicated that he had initially discussed this matter with the Trump administration.
Musk asserted in a post on X that Ukraine had “violated Starlink terms of service and used it for offensive drone strikes to kill people.” He further remarked, “Were Starlink to be turned off, the Ukrainian front line would collapse immediately. This is NOT a threat, it is simply a statement of fact.”
