Elon Musk states Starshield restrictions are determined by US military, not SpaceX
Photo: American billionaire Elon Musk (Getty Images)
The speed restrictions for Starshield military terminals used by Ukraine are not imposed by SpaceX, but by the US Army. The final word rests with the US President, according to SpaceX owner Elon Musk on the social network X.
What Fedorov requested
On the evening of October 14, Fedorov wrote that Starlink terminals were regaining connectivity at speeds of up to 160 km/h. On Telegram, he added that strike drones and interceptors should now be able to take to the skies again.
The former minister named the complete removal of the speed limit for Starshield as the next step. This is the military version of the system, and its operation, in his words, is critically important for Ukraine's defense.
Fedorov thanked Elon Musk and expressed hope for his continued support.
Musk's response
The billionaire explained that Starlink and Starshield belong to different owners and are governed by different rules.
"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.
According to Musk, Starlink is a commercial service of SpaceX. It can be used only for civilian or defensive tasks. The service is not suitable for offensive military operations, as this would be inappropriate for a commercial company.
On the night of October 14, Ukrainian military personnel noticed that Starshield terminals on unmanned aerial vehicles maintained connectivity only up to 160 km/h. Starshield is the military version of Starlink. In some places, the signal disappeared even at lower speeds.
Due to the disruptions, some combat missions had to be canceled. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the restrictions a major mistake that would cost human lives.
According to him, Russia took advantage of the communication problems and launched one of the largest-scale attacks on Ukraine.
