Who Ordered the Slowdown of Ukraine's Satellite Links

SpaceX has acknowledged that it was the company behind the recent slowdown of satellite internet speeds provided to Ukraine. The decision, which had disrupted operations relied upon to defend the country against Russian forces, was publicly admitted by Elon Musk in a post on X on Saturday. The admission came shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that access to Starlink and Starshield links had been restored to their earlier speeds.

Zelenskyy stated that the restrictions had hampered front-line operations for more than a week, adding that questions had lingered over who ordered the interruptions to the system Kyiv has relied on for years. He confirmed the restoration began overnight and was sufficient by Saturday morning, improving front-line logistics and defence against Russian jet-powered Shahed drones.

Musk defended the decision to slow the service. "Using Starlink, a civilian commercial service, for offensive drone strikes to kill people has never been allowed, nor should it be," he wrote, stating that the Ukrainian military violated the terms of service by using it for such strikes. He said that loophole was closed last week. However, he maintained that the U.S. government controls any changes to Starshield, the military-grade version of the technology that underpins Ukraine's drone operations and communications.

The restrictions on Starshield had alarmed Ukrainian military and government officials, and commanders reported lost drones and disrupted missions during the period of the slowdown. The episode added to strain between Kyiv and Washington, which was already tested by U.S. President Donald Trump's reported deal with Moscow on Russian diesel imports, a move Ukraine viewed as a betrayal.

The restoration of speeds comes amid a fresh U.S. diplomatic push to end the war. Russia agreed on Wednesday to resume three-way talks with Washington and Kyiv next month. On Friday, Kyiv and Moscow also agreed to a localized ceasefire around Oleshky, a war-ravaged, Russian-occupied town in the southern Kherson region, brokered by U.S. first lady Melania Trump.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara credited "direct dialogue" and Zelenskyy's diplomacy with Washington for the outcome, stating it mattered most "for our front, for the military, the work of drones, logistics and communications." Regarding responsibility for the slowdown, Trump said he did not make the call but also that Musk should not be blamed.

Vice-President JD Vance has hinted at White House co-ordination with Musk, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth have denied any administration involvement in the decision. As of Saturday, there remains conflicting information regarding whether the restrictions originated from the U.S. government or SpaceX.

Fighting continued meanwhile. Local officials reported that a man was killed and two others wounded in a missile attack on Lozova in the Kharkiv region. Moscow-installed authorities in Crimea reported blackouts after overnight Ukrainian attacks. Ukraine's General Staff said it hit a chemical plant in Tolyatti that produces materials used in rocket fuel, and an electronics plant in Oryol that makes components for Russian missiles. Local officials said three people died in the Oryol attack.

Ukrainian drones also reached Russia's Omsk region, more than 2,000 kilometres from the border, where online retailer Ozon said a drone attacked its logistics centre with no casualties.