Ukraine's Military Satellite Link Restored After Reported US Restrictions; SpaceX Denies Involvement

Ukraine’s military Starshield satellite connection has been restored, according to a source within the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence. This comes just days after reports surfaced that the United States had allegedly restricted the service. Reuters, citing a source, reported that Kyiv is still seeking clarification from SpaceX, the parent company of Starshield, regarding the disruption that occurred between Tuesday and Wednesday. Ukraine relies on Starshield, a military-grade version of SpaceX’s Starlink internet service, for intelligence gathering amidst its ongoing conflict with Russia. However, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has denied the company's involvement in the disruption, suggesting that only the US government could have imposed such limitations, despite former President Donald Trump's assertion that Washington continues to share intelligence with Kyiv.

What is Starshield?

Starshield is a sister service to Starlink, which comprises an array of 11,000 satellites launched by SpaceX into Earth’s low orbit to provide high-speed internet connectivity, even in remote locations. Launched in 2022 and provided to the US government, Starshield is specifically designed for military applications, offering enhanced encryption capabilities for processing sensitive information. SpaceX states that it is primarily utilized by US defence agencies and other "government partners." Ukraine's military depends on Starshield, particularly for guiding its drones, which are crucial for its operations against Russia.

What happened to Ukraine’s access to Starshield?

On Tuesday, Ukrainian defence officials reported a loss of access to critical satellite-based communications, with the disruptions impacting military missions. This occurred in the aftermath of significant Russian strikes, which deployed over 100 drones and five ballistic missiles against Ukraine. Ukraine stated it had not received any prior warning for these attacks. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his concern on X, writing, "Intelligence on Russian ballistic missile launches helps save lives, and this is one of the most critical issues. This is precisely what helps prevent people from being killed – when there is an early warning about ballistic missiles. Regarding this strike, unfortunately, there was no warning from partners." Serhiy Beskrestnov, a defence adviser to Zelenskyy, posted on Telegram that SpaceX had also "implemented a speed limit" on Starlink terminals, capping internet speeds at 100mph (160km/h). This limitation meant that any drones or missiles exceeding this speed lost their guidance connection. "Our armed forces did not receive a warning about these restrictions, and this led to the failure of a number of missions," he stated, adding that this was clearly "related to the current political situation." Officials also noted that the restrictions hampered capabilities for front-line logistics, reconnaissance, and signal relaying.

Who controls Starshield?

On Wednesday, Elon Musk denied any role in the incident, asserting that the service is "controlled by the US government." In response to a post on X by Ukraine’s former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who announced that speed limits were being lifted and demanded unrestricted internet speed, Musk replied, "Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government." He further elaborated, "Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS," referring to the US president. Musk also clarified that Starlink is intended for "civilian or defensive activities and cannot be used for offensive military action, as doing so would be inappropriate for a commercial company," distinguishing it from Starshield, which Kyiv also uses but is prohibited from employing for offensive operations. Last year, Starlink terminated access for Russian troops who were covertly utilizing the service on the Ukrainian front lines.

Is Musk supportive of Ukraine?

The SpaceX CEO has maintained an active interest in the Russia-Ukraine war since its commencement, though his stance has not always been favourable towards Kyiv. In 2022, shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, he proposed a "peace plan" that included Ukraine relinquishing its claim to Crimea and abandoning aspirations of joining NATO. Zelenskyy criticized Musk's proposal, and tensions between them have persisted. On Sunday, Musk, who also leads Tesla and owns X, commented on X that Zelenskyy "has gone too far," in reaction to former President Donald Trump's suggestion that the Ukrainian president should step down. On Wednesday, Musk appeared to attribute the ongoing conflict's casualties to Zelenskyy, writing on X, "And so the slaughter continues. Time for Zelensky to go."

Does Ukraine blame the US for restricting intelligence?

Ukrainian officials have voiced complaints about the lack of advance warning for Russian ballistic missile strikes on Tuesday and Wednesday. Typically, the US provides crucial early-warning alerts that enable Kyiv to issue evacuation orders. In an interview with the Financial Times on Thursday, Zelenskyy stated that US military officials had previously cautioned Kyiv that Washington would withhold intelligence if attacks on Russian energy infrastructure did not cease. The Ukrainian president indicated he did not believe the Starshield incident was a technical glitch, saying, "It was not a technical problem; it was the will."

Why might the US restrict intelligence from Ukraine?

Tensions between Kyiv and Washington have been escalating since former President Donald Trump took office, concerning various issues including weapons transfers and the increasing alignment between the US and Russia. In recent weeks, Washington has urged Ukraine to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries to facilitate increased oil supply to global markets. Notably, Trump has attributed rising global fuel prices to Ukrainian attacks on Russian diesel facilities, particularly ahead of the November midterm elections. Last week, Trump announced an agreement with President Vladimir Putin to release Russian diesel stocks into US and global markets, notwithstanding existing sanctions on Russian oil. Zelenskyy criticized this move, suggesting it would embolden Putin. Over the weekend, Trump unilaterally declared an "energy ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine, seemingly without consulting Zelenskyy, who informed reporters that the deal was "news to me." Russia also did not confirm the agreement. In response, Trump called for Ukraine to replace its president and blamed Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil infrastructure for global energy disruptions. Ukraine stated it had, in fact, refrained from attacking Russian refineries and would continue to do so if Russia reciprocated. However, Russian strikes have persisted. On Wednesday, Zelenskyy reported that strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure had resulted in blackouts affecting 600,000 people. "We're done," the Ukrainian president stated in the FT interview, confirming that Kyiv had subsequently resumed attacks on Russia’s oil infrastructure.