Tech giant Elon Musk on Saturday (local time) accused the Ukrainian military of violating Starlink’s terms of service by using the satellite internet system for offensive drone strikes. He said the loophole that allowed such use had been closed last week.In a post on X, Musk said the use of Starlink, a civilian commercial service, for offensive operations was never permitted. He also distinguished it from Starshield, a separate satellite communication system controlled by the US government.“Using Starlink, a civilian commercial service, for offensive drone strikes to kill people has never been allowed, nor should it. Starshield, a different system, is controlled by the US government. What they decide to do is up to them. Ukraine’s military violated Starlink’s terms of service and used it for offensive drone strikes to kill people. That loophole was closed last week,” he wrote on X.Musk also underscored Starlink’s importance to Ukraine’s defence, claiming that the system had played a crucial role in preventing Russia from overrunning the country in the early stages of the war. He asserted that SpaceX had contributed more to Ukraine’s defence than any other private company.“Starlink remains critical to the defense of Ukraine, as it is the only system that cannot be jammed or blown up, at least for now. Were Starlink to be turned off, the Ukrainian front line would collapse immediately. This is NOT a threat, it is simply a statement of fact. Starlink was also crucial to preventing Russia from overrunning Ukraine in the early days of the war, as all other means of communication were destroyed or jammed by Russia. SpaceX has done more to defend Ukraine than any private company on Earth by far,” he added.Despite highlighting Starlink’s role in Ukraine’s defence, Musk reiterated his opposition to prolonging the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, criticising those advocating continued fighting without offering a practical resolution.“That said, I have nothing but utter contempt for the virtue-signaling evil warmongers who push for endless slaughter and offer no realistic solution to the conflict. May you burn in hell,” he said.On Friday, Musk also alleged that financial aid sent to Ukraine to support its war against Russia was being channelled back to the US through “multiple laundry” channels and used to finance the political campaigns of some politicians.Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said operational speeds for the Starlink and Starshield satellite communication networks had been restored to levels recorded before recent restrictions. He highlighted the systems’ importance in supporting Ukraine’s military operations along the front lines and countering aerial attacks.
