Elon Musk has suggested that the US government may be behind restrictions on the speed at which some of Ukraine's weapons can travel and maintain connectivity to SpaceX's Starlink internet network. Starlink is a crucial tool for Ukraine, allowing it to guide drones to Russian targets and protect its airspace. However, on the night of October 14, Ukraine reported unexpected new speed limits that disrupted its battlefield operations. An adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated that the restrictions were likely related to tensions between Kyiv and Washington.
Musk stated that Starshield, the military-grade counterpart to Starlink, is controlled by the US government, and that any limits on speed or usage are determined by the US military and ultimately the US president. In response to requests from Ukrainian officials, including President Zelensky, Musk noted on social media platform X that Starlink's speed limits were restricted to 100 mph (160 km/h) on Tuesday night, which meant that any weapons traveling faster than this speed would lose connectivity to the network. By Wednesday evening, the speed limits had been partially restored, according to Ukraine's former defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
Fedorov emphasized the importance of removing Starshield's speed limit entirely for Ukraine's defense and expressed gratitude to Musk for his support. Musk reiterated that Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government and that Starlink is intended for civilian or defensive purposes, not offensive military actions. The restrictions coincided with a series of Russian attacks on Ukraine, which resulted in casualties in Kyiv and damage to military communications and energy facilities. Zelensky described the attacks as "one of the largest" from Russia, noting that while many drones were intercepted, there were still significant impacts.
At least 600,000 people in Ukraine experienced power outages, and residents reported a lack of warning before the drone strikes occurred. Zelensky's adviser, Serhiy Beskrestnov, stated that the timing of the speed restrictions appeared to be linked to the current political climate. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has expressed frustration towards Ukraine amid its ongoing military actions against Russian energy targets. Zelensky mentioned feeling betrayed by the US following a deal to import Russian diesel, although Trump denied threatening to limit intelligence sharing over this issue.
During a visit to London, Zelensky acknowledged feelings of betrayal but noted the situation's complexity. He was welcomed by UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham and met with King Charles. Ahead of Zelensky's visit, the UK government announced plans to expedite the delivery of lightweight multirole missiles to Ukraine, which have been effective in countering Russian drones. Burnham assured Zelensky of continued support from the UK.