<p class="wp-block-paragraph">SpaceX CEO Elon Musk stated that his company is not responsible for any speed restrictions on Starshield defense communications systems, indicating that authority lies with the U.S. military and President Donald Trump.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS,” Musk wrote on X on Wednesday afternoon. This statement follows criticism regarding reported speed restrictions on Starshield systems in Ukraine.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Starshield, owned and operated by the War Department, is the military version of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network and is utilized by Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. Ukrainian military officials and President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed concerns on Wednesday that speed limits had been imposed on the country’s Starshield systems without prior notice and urged Musk to address the matter.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In an interview with Piers Morgan, Zelensky remarked, “It’s a big mistake. A lot of losses — this decision will bring a lot of human losses.” Musk's statement followed the interview, clarifying that SpaceX does not control Starshield systems, which are managed by the U.S. government, while SpaceX oversees the separate commercial service, Starlink.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Starlink is a commercial service owned and controlled by SpaceX. Usage of Starlink is limited to civilian or defensive activities and cannot be used for offensive military action, as doing so would be inappropriate for a commercial company,” Musk clarified on X.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Musk shared this clarification in response to a post from former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who claimed that Ukrainian Starlink connectivity was being restored to regular speeds without restrictions.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Starlink connectivity at speeds of up to 160 km/h is being restored,” Fedorov said. “Removing Starshield’s speed limit entirely is now critical for Ukraine’s defense. Thank you, @elonmusk. We hope for your continued support.”</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The reported restrictions had limited Starshield terminals from moving at speeds above 100 mph. Ukrainian defense officials had previously warned that these speed limits could hinder Ukraine’s defense against Russian air attacks and potentially disrupt certain planned drone operations against Russia.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Musk faced pressure from Zelensky as well as several U.S. lawmakers, who urged the SpaceX CEO to address the situation.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“@elonmusk please tell me these overnight disruptions to Starlink terminals in Ukraine were unintended – that @SpaceX is doing everything it can to fix a temporary glitch,” Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) wrote on X earlier Wednesday.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Washington Examiner contacted the White House and the Pentagon for comment.<br /></p>