MUSK ACCUSES UKRAINE OF USING STARLINK FOR OFFENSIVE DRONE STRIKES
Read Time:2 Minute, 4 Second
Agency Report
Tech billionaire Elon Musk has accused Ukraine’s military of violating Starlink’s terms of service by using the satellite communications network for offensive drone strikes, amid tensions between Washington and Kyiv over disruptions to the system.
Musk made the allegation on Saturday in posts on X, saying the loophole that allowed the alleged use had been closed the previous week.
“Ukraine military violated Starlink terms of service and used it for offensive drone strikes to kill people,” he wrote.
In a separate post, Musk maintained that Starlink was designed as a civilian communications system rather than a tool for killing, warning that violations of its terms could lead to the termination of service.
“Starlink’s terms have remained consistent as a civilian system, not a means of killing. Violation of those terms will result in end of service,” he said.
Despite the allegations, Musk acknowledged the network’s importance to Ukraine’s defence, describing it as critical to the country’s military operations because of its resistance to jamming and physical attacks.
He warned that shutting down Starlink would cause Ukraine’s frontline positions to collapse immediately.
Ukraine relies on Starlink and the military-grade Starshield system for communications, drone operations and logistics as it continues to defend itself against Russian missile and drone attacks.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Defence Minister, Yevgeniy Khmara, said monitoring systems had recorded an improvement in the performance of Starlink and Starshield.
“Monitoring systems are recording a recovery in the speed of Starlink/Starshield. We are registering a speed of more than 400 km/h, the connection is stable,” Khmara said in a statement on Saturday.
He said the improvement was particularly important for frontline operations, including drone missions, logistics and communications.
According to Khmara, the restoration began overnight, with the improved performance expected to support frontline logistics and efforts to protect Ukraine from rocket-powered drones.
The satellite network has become a major point of contention between Ukraine and the United States amid concerns over disruptions to its performance.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had accused Washington of helping Russia by failing to warn Kyiv about incoming missile strikes and weakening Ukraine’s military response through restrictions on Starlink speeds.
Khmara credited Zelensky’s firm position on the issue, saying it was beginning to produce results.
Musk’s latest comments come amid continuing debate over the role of satellite communications technology in the war and the extent to which civilian networks should be used to support military operations.
AFP
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0