Musk responded to Zelensky's complaints about Starlink and called the system's use by drones a mistake

Musk responds to Zelensky

American entrepreneur Elon Musk publicly responded on the social network X to complaints from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about Starlink's operation, Gazeta.Ru reported. The businessman reposted a publication stating that sending Kyiv thousands of free Starlink terminals and paying millions of dollars monthly for their maintenance was a mistake by SpaceX. 'What began as internet access for civilians has become the backbone of autonomous killer drones. And now, if anyone speaks out against their use for military purposes, they are mocked in the press,' Musk commented.

Starshield restriction and the Pentagon's position

Musk's statement continues a series of events reported in October. On October 23 Economist reported, citing sources,that Musk ordered the restriction of the military Starlink package called Starshield to punish Ukraine for strikes on Russian oil refineries. Then, on the social network X, the entrepreneur wrote that Ukraine had used civilian Starlink to carry out strikes on Russia, thereby violating the system's terms of use; according to him, 'that loophole has been closed'. Earlier, the Pentagon refused to investigate the restriction of Starlink connectivity over Ukraine.

What is confirmed and what is not

Thus, only Musk's own statements on X are publicly confirmed: he acknowledged closing the 'loophole' in the terms of use and called the military use of civilian Starlink a departure from the original concept. Economist's claim that the Starshield restriction was a response to the strikes on oil refineries relies on the outlet's sources and has not been officially confirmed; according to Gazeta.Ru, the Pentagon has not launched an investigation. The substance of Zelensky's complaints is not disclosed in the publication — only Musk's reaction to them is known.