Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, has stated that his company is not responsible for the speed restrictions on Starshield defense communications systems used by Ukraine. Musk claims that the US military and President Donald Trump have control over these systems.
What happened
Starshield, the military version of SpaceX's Starlink satellite network, has been used by Ukraine to defend itself against Russia. However, Ukrainian military officials and President Volodymyr Zelensky raised concerns about speed limits imposed on Starshield systems without warning. Zelensky warned that these restrictions could lead to significant human losses.
Musk released a statement clarifying that SpaceX does not control Starshield systems, but instead manages the separate commercial service, Starlink. He emphasized that Starlink is limited to civilian or defensive activities and cannot be used for offensive military action.
The reported restrictions had limited Starshield terminals from moving at speeds above 100 mph, which Ukrainian defense officials warned could disrupt Ukraine's defense against Russian air attacks. Musk faced pressure from Zelensky, as well as US lawmakers, to address the situation.
