NRT briefing
Musk says US government may be behind slowdown of Ukraine drone speeds
Based on reporting by BBC News.
The Brief
Ukraine said on Tuesday night that unexpected speed limits on SpaceX's Starlink internet service were disrupting its battlefield missions, with drones losing connectivity when traveling faster than 100mph (160km/h). Elon Musk suggested the restrictions were decided by the US government, writing on X that Starshield, the military-grade sister service, is controlled by the US and that "any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately [the US president]".
A senior adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky said the restrictions "cannot be a coincidence" and were linked to political strains between Kyiv and Washington. By Wednesday evening, the speed limit had been partially lifted, according to former Ukrainian defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who thanked Musk and asked for his continued support. Musk replied that Starlink is for "civilian or defensive activities" and cannot be used for offensive military action.
The restrictions came as Russia launched deadly drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, killing several people in Kyiv and leaving at least 600,000 without electricity. Zelensky, who said it was "one of the largest attacks" of the war, is pushing for full restoration of connectivity.
The US government has not commented, and the White House denied earlier reports that it threatened to restrict intelligence sharing over Ukraine's strikes on Russian energy facilities.