Defending restrictions, Elon Musk says use of Starlink for offensive drone strikes never permitted

Elon Musk said Saturday that the use of Starlink for offensive drone strikes was never permitted, defending restrictions on the satellite internet service as Ukraine relies on space-based communications to sustain itself during the multi-year war with Russia.

“Using Starlink, a civilian commercial service, for offensive drone strikes to kill people has never been allowed, nor should it be,” Musk wrote on US social media company X-another of his companies-arguing that Ukraine’s military violated the service’s terms of use.

The billionaire said SpaceX, which runs Starlink and has Musk as its chair, closed a loophole last week, while distinguishing Starlink from Starshield, a military-grade system controlled by the US government, according to his statement.

“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 that he spoke with Musk about the Ukraine situation but declined to give details.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara said Saturday that after days of sub-par speeds, previous connection speeds had been restored following high-level contacts, according to state news agency Ukrinform.

“We are recording speeds exceeding 400 km/h (nearly 250 miles per hour), and the connection is stable,” said Khmara, stressing the importance of reliable communications for troops, drone operations, and military logistics.

Musk claimed SpaceX had done more than any other private company to defend Ukraine, while condemning those advocating continued fighting without offering realistic solutions.