OMM Newsroom
Elon Musk said Saturday that using “Starlink” for offensive drone strikes had never been permitted, defending restrictions on the satellite internet service as Ukraine relies on space-based communications during its war with Russia, according to Anadolu Agency.
“Using Starlink, a civilian commercial service, for offensive drone strikes to kill people has never been allowed, nor should it be,” Musk wrote on “X”, the social media company he also owns. He argued that Ukraine’s military had violated the service’s terms of use.
Musk said “SpaceX”, which operates “Starlink” and is chaired by him, closed a loophole last week. He distinguished “Starlink” from “Starshield”, a military-grade system controlled by the US government.
“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 he had spoken with Musk about the situation in Ukraine but declined to provide details.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara said Saturday that connection speeds had returned to previous levels after several days of below-par performance, following high-level contacts, state news agency Ukrinform reported.
“We are recording speeds exceeding 400 km/h (nearly 250 miles per hour), and the connection is stable,” Khmara said, stressing the importance of reliable communications for troops, drone operations and military logistics.
Musk said “SpaceX” had done more than any other private company to defend Ukraine. He also condemned those advocating continued fighting without offering realistic solutions.
