SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk has accused President Donald Trump of being behind the technical glitch that disrupted Ukraine’s access to Starlink communications systems nationwide.
Kyiv has increasingly relied on Starshield, the communication service’s military-grade network, for its strategic operations against Russia.
Ukrainian officials reported last Tuesday that their drone operations met severe setbacks after noticing major communication disruptions while using the satellite network.
Satellite restrictions
According to an Axios report, Ukrainian drones automatically disconnected from the satellite network once the speed exceeded 160 kilometres per hour.
In some cases, the drones went offline after reaching 80kph.
The Ukrainian government maintained that both Starlink and Starshield are crucial for the country’s defence and security amid missile attacks from Russia.
Meanwhile, Musk addressed the issue by claiming that the US government holds more control over the Starshield satellite network.
“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 (President of the United States),” Musk wrote on X.
The tech trillionaire also offered a distinction between the two satellite systems.
“Starlink is a commercial service owned and controlled by SpaceX. Usage 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,” the comment added.
MORE INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Somalia forges JF-17 fighter acquisition deal with Pakistan
Starlink vs Starshield
While the two systems employ the same system, Starshield is a SpaceX business unit that provides military and satellite data to the Pentagon.
According to SpaceX, Starlink is strictly for civilian use, while Starshield gives operators access to advanced data encryption features to transmit sensitive information.
This militarised version of Starlink also allows objects like drones to be integrated with space-orbiting satellites for enhanced tracking and targeting of army movements, supply lines, and infrastructure.
At present, the Pentagon remains the biggest operator of Starshield.
It purchases dedicated satellites and communication spacecraft for early missile detection and defence.
Other US partners, such as the United Kingdom, have adopted Starshield through the same ground-based network with separate terminals and pathways.
However, New Zealand is still at an experimental stage on how the system can improve its national security and defence programmes.
READ NEXT: Louvre boss seeks EUR1bn funding for museum overhaul, warns of closure risk
Ciara Mina 
Rosemarie Zamora 
Jacinth Banite