Defending Restrictions, Elon Musk Says Starlink Was Never Allowed for Attack Drones

The billionaire chairman of SpaceX, which operates Starlink, says the service is still vital to Ukraine’s defense.

Elon Musk said on Saturday that Starlink has never been authorized for use in attack drones. He defended restrictions placed on the satellite internet service at a time when Ukraine relies on space-based communications to sustain itself in its multiyear war with Russia.

Writing on X, another U.S. company, Musk said the Ukrainian military had violated the service’s terms of use. “Starlink, a civilian commercial service, was never allowed, and should not be allowed, to be used in attack drones to kill people,” he said.

The billionaire said that SpaceX, which operates Starlink and which he chairs, closed the loophole last week, distinguishing Starlink from the military-grade Starshield system operated by the U.S. government.

“Starlink is still very important for Ukraine’s defense,” Musk said, adding that if the service were shut off, the front line would “collapse immediately.” He described the statement as a factual assessment, not a threat.

Shortly after Musk’s statement, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters that he had spoken with Musk about the situation in Ukraine, but declined to give details.

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara said on Saturday that previous connection speeds had been restored after high-level contacts, following several days of reduced speeds. The state news agency Ukrinform reported this.

“We are recording speeds of more than 400 kilometers per hour (about 250 miles per hour), and the connection is stable,” Khmara said, stressing the importance of reliable communications for troops, drone operations and military logistics .

Musk claimed that SpaceX has done more to help defend Ukraine than other private companies. At the same time, he criticized those who advocate continuing the fight without offering real solutions.