Musk claims Ukraine broke Starlink rules with fast drones

90 kilometers per hour. That is the maximum speed limit Serhii Beskrestnov, a defense technology advisor to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, says applies to Starlink terminals over Ukrainian soil. He posted this figure on Sunday to refute a new accusation by Elon Musk that the satellite network was being used to kill people in ways its contract forbade.

Musk wrote on Saturday that Ukraine violated the terms of service for Starlink, a civilian commercial service, by using it for offensive drone strikes. He argued that a separate system called Starshield, which is controlled by the US government, was the proper tool for military use. According to Musk, the loophole allowing these high-speed strikes was closed last week after SpaceX imposed restrictions on drone speeds.

The dispute began almost two weeks ago when SpaceX limited the use of its technology on drones flying above certain velocities. Ukraine officials responded by accusing Musk of throttling their access to Starshield, the military variant of the network that Kyiv uses through a deal with Washington. One current and one former Ukrainian official denied Musk’s specific claim, stating that previous limits already prevented the military from using the commercial service in the manner he described.

Beskrestnov called the allegation physically impossible. He noted that Starlink terminals were already subject to the 70 to 90 kilometer per hour speed cap across all of Ukrainian territory, including areas occupied by Russia. He added that the signal does not function over Russian territory, limiting the range where such violations could occur.

The technical argument appears to be fading as political pressure rises. President Zelenskyy said over the weekend that the new satellite restrictions have been lifted. That announcement may end the controversy that erupted after the initial speed caps were applied.

Musk maintained that the distinction between the two systems is clear. He stated that Starshield is under US government control and that what they decide to do is up to them. He concluded that the Ukraine military used Starlink for offensive strikes to kill people, a usage he said was never allowed.