Musk reposts tweet calling Starlink service for Ukraine 'mistake'

Elon Musk reposted a message arguing that SpaceX should not have supplied Ukraine with thousands of Starlink terminals and millions of dollars’ worth of monthly service after Russia’s full-scale invasion. The message claimed that a service initially intended to provide civilian internet became essential to Ukraine’s military, including its use of autonomous attack drones, leaving SpaceX criticized when it objected to military applications. Musk offered no separate explanation. The repost followed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s warning that too much political power rests with one wealthy individual, a comment made during a German television interview.

Ukraine relies on commercial Starlink and the military-oriented Starshield. In mid-October, an unannounced speed restriction on Starshield disrupted Ukrainian forces’ ability to intercept Russian jet-powered drones; full service was later restored. Musk denied responsibility for the disruption and accused Ukraine of breaching service terms by using commercial terminals for offensive strikes. Kyiv rejected the accusation, saying Starshield supports combat within Ukraine and commercial Starlink does not operate in Russia. Zelensky said the prolonged restriction cost civilian lives, while the Pentagon’s watchdog declined senators’ request to investigate. The dispute highlights Ukraine’s dependence on privately controlled communications infrastructure and Musk’s growing political influence in the United States.