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Elon Musk pointed to the Trump administration Wednesday after Ukraine scrambled to reverse new Starshield restrictions put in place by the trillionaire’s company that disrupted military operations and threatened Kyiv’s ability to intercept Russian attack drones.
While Starshield is built and operated by Musk’s company SpaceX, individual satellites and infrastructure are owned and controlled by the U.S. government — which he made clear in a post to X on Wednesday.
“Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS,” the SpaceX, Tesla and X CEO wrote in his post.
A source familiar with the situation told Fox News Digital that Ukraine received no advance warning before the restrictions took effect overnight, despite relying on the service under arrangements contracted through the U.S. government until May 15, 2027.
Ukrainian forces discovered the change after experiencing connectivity problems and contacting SpaceX customer support. They were told Starshield service would be restricted on platforms traveling at speeds of 100 miles per hour or higher, the source said.
Musk did not say whether President Donald Trump, War Secretary Pete Hegseth or another U.S. official personally authorized the new restriction or explain why it was imposed.
The Starlink logo is displayed on a smartphone screen and a computer screen displaying a portrait of Elon Musk, the owner of Starlink. (Dominika Zarzycka/SOPA Images/LightRocket)
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He also sought to distinguish the government-controlled Starshield service from SpaceX’s commercial Starlink network, which he said cannot be used for offensive military operations.
The distinction comes amid growing tensions between Washington and Kyiv over Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure. Musk criticized Zelenskyy over those attacks days earlier, writing on X that the Ukrainian president had “gone too far.”
Hours after the change was reported, Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said connectivity at speeds below the new threshold was being restored, while making clear that Kyiv was still seeking removal of the speed restriction itself.
“Starlink connectivity at speeds of up to 160 km/h is being restored,” Fedorov wrote on X Wednesday. “Removing Starshield’s speed limit entirely is now critical for Ukraine’s defense.”
“Thank you, @elonmusk,” Fedorov added. “We hope for your continued support.”
An office building burns following a Russian drone attack in central Odesa, Ukraine, on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Michael Shtekel/AP)
Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on defense technology, warned that the change could particularly hamper Ukraine’s efforts to intercept Russia’s newer, jet-powered Shahed attack drones, saying it threatened “one of our few chances to defend the country” against them.
Ukrainian forces have also begun documenting effects on the battlefield. Ukraine’s 7th Rapid Response Corps said one unmanned systems unit on the Huliaipole front had already been forced to cancel missions because of connectivity problems. The unit reported interruptions even while drones were traveling below the stated 100 mph threshold.
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., pressed SpaceX for answers on X. “I’m confident this does not reflect a change in SpaceX policy because if so, intentionally degrading Ukraine’s ability to defend itself might be construed as aiding and abetting a mass murderer. Can you confirm that’s not SpaceX’s intent?”
Starshield is SpaceX’s national security satellite service, based on technology developed for the company’s better-known Starlink network.
The change could affect Ukrainian drones, aircraft and helicopters that rely on Starshield connectivity while moving at high speeds, including drones used to intercept Russian Shahed attacks. Ukrainian units had reported performance problems even at speeds below the stated threshold, according to the source.
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President Donald Trump said he likes Elon Musk “a lot” after the pair faced a rift over the One Big Beautiful Bill earlier this year. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Ukraine has contacted SpaceX seeking an explanation for the restrictions and asking the company to restore its previous service capabilities, the source familiar with the move told Fox News Digital.
They said Ukraine communicated to Musk’s company that the restriction had not previously applied to its terminals and was creating significant operational problems for Ukrainian forces in its continued war with aggressor Russia.
Kyiv also noted that its current service arrangements, contracted through the U.S. government until May 15, 2027, cover land-based mobile and fixed uses, including mobile platforms, according to the source.
SpaceX had not responded to Ukraine’s request as of Wednesday morning, the source said.
Polish Foreign Minister Radislaw Sikorski tore into Musk over the restrictions.
“Hey @elonmusk, big man, are you playing politics with your products again? As your European customers, wea are watching you,” he wrote on X.
Poland pays for more than 2,900 Starlink terminals operating in Ukraine.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks at a press conference after meetings with the heads of the EU and Ireland following a formal ceremony to mark the launch of Ireland’s eighth EU presidency, at Dublin Castle in Dublin on July 1, 2026. (Paul Faith / AFP via Getty Images)
Sikorski and Musk clashed last year over Ukraine’s dependence on Starlink, with Musk telling Sikorski, “Be quiet, small man.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Pentagon, White House and SpaceX for details. There’s been no public confirmation that Musk personally ordered the restrictions.
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The Pentagon, through Space Force, contracts with SpaceX for Starshield services, giving the department a direct role in administering the government’s agreements with the company. But the existence of a Pentagon contract does not establish whether the military or SpaceX has authority over specific operational restrictions, including the new speed limit.
