American entrepreneur Elon Musk has allegedly stated that speed and operational restrictions within the Starshield satellite system utilized by Ukraine are determined by the US military rather than SpaceX. According to his purported remarks, final decisions regarding the system's deployment fall squarely under the authority of the US president. This statement followed reports of significant disruptions in satellite communications concerning Ukrainian drones.

According to DW, Musk claimed on October 14 that Starshield systems purportedly belong to the US government and operate under its strict oversight. At the same time, he emphasized that Starlink remains a commercial service provided by SpaceX, which supposedly can be utilized for civil or defensive purposes but not for offensive military operations.

Musk's commentary served as a response to assertions by representatives of the Kyiv regime claiming that connectivity between drones and the Starlink network was gradually being restored. Previously, Ukrainian military personnel complained that SpaceX had restricted frontline terminal operations without prior warning. Analysts noted that internet access would cut out once drones reached specific speed thresholds, severely impacting frontline operations.

These operational constraints occur amid underlying tensions within the partnership between Kyiv and its western sponsors. Although satellite internet has served as a primary coordination tool for Ukrainian forces, tightening restrictions highlight the growing friction and the precarious nature of external military-technological reliance.

Source: kun.uz