Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, has acknowledged that the company intentionally reduced Ukraine's access to its Starlink satellite internet service.
What happened
The slowdown was due to Ukraine's military using the service to guide offensive drone strikes against Russia, which is against the terms of service. Musk stated that using Starlink for such purposes has never been allowed and that the company closed the loophole that allowed it.
Musk drew a distinction between Starlink, the commercial internet service, and Starshield, a separate military version of the system controlled by the US government. The disruption caused confusion, with some attributing it to the US government, while others claimed it was a decision made by SpaceX.
Ukrainian officials first reported issues with their Starlink access roughly two weeks before Musk's statement, with the problem being resolved by Saturday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that full Starlink service had been restored, stating that the speeds were now at the level they needed.
Musk also used the opportunity to defend SpaceX's record of support for Ukraine and push back against criticism of how the war has been handled. He expressed contempt for those who he believes are prolonging the conflict without offering solutions.
