Elon Musk has halted Ukraine’s access to his Starlink service for offensive drone strikes and took aim at critics who advocate for prolonging the conflict.
Musk stated on X that using the commercial network for such purposes “has never been allowed, nor should it be.” He mentioned that a loophole was closed recently, adding that Starshield—a military-grade system Ukraine also utilizes—operates under the U.S. government’s direction, not his.
Correct. Using Starlink, a civilian commercial service, for offensive drone strikes to kill people has never been allowed, nor should it be. Starshield, a different system, is controlled by the US government. What they decide to do is up to them. Ukraine military violated Starlink terms of service and used it for offensive drone strikes to kill people. That loophole was closed last week. Starlink remains critical to the defense of Ukraine, as it is the only system that cannot be jammed or blown up, at least for now. 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. Starlink was also crucial to preventing Russia from overrunning Ukraine in the early days of the war, as all other means of communication were destroyed or jammed by Russia. SpaceX has done more to defend Ukraine than any private company on Earth BY FAR. That said, I have nothing but UTTER CONTEMPT for the virtue-signaling evil warmongers who push for endless slaughter and offer no realistic solution to the conflict. May you burn in hell. End of story.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 24, 2026
In a follow-up, Musk pointed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as evidence. Zelenskyy confirmed to reporters in Brussels that the network has been used for strikes against enemy military targets in occupied territories. However, he noted they don’t use it for actions inside Russia.
We don’t use Starlink for our responses inside Russia. We use Starlink to intercept jet-powered “shaheds” that attack our civilians and kill families. Starlink wasn’t turned off – its speed was reduced. And when the speed was reduced, we were unable to intercept a certain number of jet-powered “shaheds.” We couldn’t use a tool that helps protect people. That’s very painful and frustrating. We also use Starlink for mid-range strikes against enemy military targets in our temporarily occupied territories. We couldn’t do that when the restrictions were in place. And third, what matters most is people. Our warriors, who spend weeks and months on the front line, receive food and water delivered by drones using Starlink. Has the speed been fully restored to what it was before? No. Is it being restored now? Yes. From a conversation with media representatives in Brussels. (2/3)
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 16, 2026
Musk defended SpaceX’s contributions to Ukraine, saying the company has provided more support than any other private entity. He emphasized that if Starlink were to go dark, the Ukrainian front line would instantly fail.
He expressed disdain for what he termed “virtue-signaling evil warmongers,” who promote endless conflict without offering constructive solutions. “May you burn in hell,” was his striking conclusion.
The situation grew more complex with reports indicating Musk had personally ordered a slowdown of the Starlink service last week. This decision was made after discussions with Republican President Donald Trump.
Ukraine has asserted that the service restrictions remain in effect, despite Trump’s claims to the contrary. Drones traveling over certain speeds have lost their connections. Experts indicated that this could lead to losses in drone operations.
Who is ultimately responsible for these restrictions remains unclear. Recently, Trump denied having a role in the disruptions. Meanwhile, Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen has called for an immediate end to Ukraine’s service limitations. A bipartisan group of lawmakers has urged the Defense Secretary to increase support.
Amid this, Ukraine is actively seeking to reduce its dependence on Musk’s systems. Zelenskyy’s government has taken steps to collaborate with Nokia and ICEYE to establish its own satellite communication capabilities, underscoring the need for self-reliance.
