Elon Musk on Wednesday sought to distance himself from the satellite communications restrictions over Ukraine that have disrupted Kyiv's military operations, suggesting that US President Donald Trump is ultimately behind any changes.
There has been growing tension between Washington and Kyiv after Mr Trump's agreement with President Vladimir Putin to resume buying Russian diesel, which critics have called a betrayal of Ukraine.
Since the deal was announced last week, Ukrainian officials have said restrictions on satellite terminals have disrupted drone operations as Russia continues to attack Ukrainian energy sites.
Kyiv has also reported difficulties in receiving advance warnings of Russian missile attacks, although it is unclear whether these are connected to the satellite restrictions.
In a post on X, Mr Musk drew a distinction between Starlink, which is the satellite internet company owned by SpaceX, and Starshield, a national security and military subsidiary.
"Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government," Mr Musk said. "Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS [the President of the United States]."
He was responding to a post minutes earlier by former Ukrainian defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who said that some of the satellite connectivity was being restored. “Thank you, Elon Musk. We hope for your continued support,” he said.
Mr Musk added that use of Starlink "is limited to civilian or defensive activities and cannot be used for offensive military action, as doing so would be inappropriate for a commercial company".
Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 14, 2026
Starlink is a commercial service owned and controlled by SpaceX. Usage of Starlink is limited to civilian or defensive activities…
Mr Musk's post leaves key questions unanswered, including who authorised the restriction and whether SpaceX acted on instructions from the US military or from Mr Trump.
SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A source told Reuters that SpaceX had limited terminal connections, complicating Ukrainian drone interceptions and mid-range strikes.
In an interview on the Piers Morgan Uncensored YouTube channel, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Mr Trump and Mr Musk of restraining Kyiv’s military access to SpaceX’s satellite technology, deepening the rift between Washington and Kyiv.
“I am sure they knew what they did, absolutely,” Mr Zelenskyy said when asked if Ukraine’s use of the satellite service had been intentionally disrupted. “I think he is not right. It’s a big mistake.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Ukraine also depends on US intelligence assistance for early warning of Russian missile launches. White House officials are actively discussing the possibility of cutting that arrangement with Ukraine, although there is no consensus on what to do, Semafor reported on Wednesday, quoting an unidentified administration official. Mr Trump said on Tuesday that the US continued to share intelligence with Ukraine.
His deal with Russia has drawn bipartisan criticism. On Tuesday, 12 senators wrote him a letter asking him to rescind it. One of the signatories, Republican Senator Thom Tillis, on Wednesday asked Mr Musk to clarify what was happening with Starlink.
.@elonmusk please tell me these overnight disruptions to Starlink terminals in Ukraine were unintended - that @SpaceX is doing everything it can to fix a temporary glitch.
— Senator Thom Tillis (@SenThomTillis) October 14, 2026
I'm confident this does not reflect a change in SpaceX policy because if so, intentionally degrading…
"Supporting Ukrainian sovereignty – or at the very least, allowing for it – should not be a grey area for the US government or for American corporations. Can you clarify the SpaceX position?" he wrote on X.
The suggestion that Mr Musk's company had limited Ukrainian military capabilities drew a sharp response from Poland, which pays for Ukrainian Starlink subscriptions on Kyiv's behalf.
"Hey, Elon Musk, big man, are you playing politics with your products again?" Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski posted on X. "As your European customers, we are watching you."
There was no immediate response from Mr Musk, who in the past has called Sikorski a "small man".