Musk Says Trump Ultimately Decides Starshield Limits Affecting Ukraine

SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk said the U.S. military and President Donald Trump decide any Starshield limits after a Ukrainian official said speed restrictions disrupted military missions.

Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on defense technology, said SpaceX had imposed a speed limit on moving Starlink terminals without warning Ukraine’s defense forces. He said the same restriction applied to Starshield and disrupted some missions amid fresh Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

“Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the U.S. government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS,” Musk wrote. He described Starshield as a military-grade satellite network, while saying Starlink is intended for civilian or defensive activities.

Former Ukrainian defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov thanked Musk, saying Starlink connectivity for terminals moving at up to 160 kilometers per hour was being restored. Fedorov said removing Starshield’s speed limit entirely remained critical to Ukraine’s defense.