SpaceX appears to have lifted restrictions on the Ukrainian military's use of Starshield, the military version of Starlink. Defense Minister Evgeniy Khmara told the Wall Street Journal the service seems to be working normally again. The military is still testing it and has received no explanation for the restrictions.
What happened
For about ten days, Ukrainian drones lost internet connectivity when flying at roughly 100 mph. Some aircraft became uncontrollable, and others had to fly slower, which made them easier to hit.
How it was restored
According to the report, President Donald Trump called Elon Musk on Wednesday and asked him to restore the service. The WSJ had earlier reported that Musk personally ordered SpaceX to throttle Ukraine's Starlink access, possibly after talking to the Trump administration.
Musk's version
In a post on X, Musk claimed Ukraine violated the terms of service and used Starlink for offensive drone strikes. He added that without Starlink the Ukrainian front line would collapse immediately, which he called a statement of fact, not a threat.
Why it matters
The episode shows how much one country's battlefield communications can depend on a private company and its owner. There is still no official explanation for the restrictions.