CBC Lite Sections News • World Musk says he was behind Starlink speed restriction in Ukraine The Associated Press | Posted: October 24, 2026 4:15 PM | Last Updated: 17 hours ago Announcement comes as Kyiv says satellite speeds restored after days of issues Image | MixCollage-24-Oct-2026-04-32-PM-6662 Caption: Elon Musk said on Saturday that his company SpaceX had throttled the Starlink satellite internet service in Ukraine, disrupting operations that the country relies on to defend itself against Russia. (Evan Vucci, Dado Ruvic/Reuters) (BUTTON) Load image Open image in new tab Elon Musk said on Saturday that his company SpaceX had throttled the Starlink satellite internet service in Ukraine, disrupting operations that the country relies on to defend itself against Russia. Musk's admission on social media came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine's access to Starlink and Starshield satellite links has been restored to the speeds it had before restrictions that disrupted front-line operations for more than a week. Questions have persisted since last week about who ordered the interruptions to the Musk-made satellite internet system that Kyiv has relied on for years to counter Moscow's attacks. "The speeds are now where they need to be," Zelenskyy wrote on X, adding that restoration began overnight and were sufficient by Saturday morning, improving front-line logistics and defence against Russian jet-powered Shahed drones. After Ukraine said the services had been restored, Musk spoke out on the speed restrictions that began last week. In a post Saturday on X, Musk acknowledged that his company SpaceX throttled the Starlink satellite internet service. WATCH | Carney 'concerned' about Starlink slowdown: Media Video | Politics News : Caption: Prime Minister Mark Carney says he is concerned about the reported slowdown of SpaceX's Starlink satellite system in Ukraine, which created 'real consequences.' He says Canadians likewise 'do not want to be caught in a situation where we are reliant on one provider that may change their view' and compromise Canadian sovereignty. Open full embed in new tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. "Using Starlink, a civilian commercial service, for offensive drone strikes to kill people has never been allowed, nor should it be," Musk wrote. "Ukraine military violated Starlink terms of service and used it for offensive drone strikes to kill people. That loophole was closed last week." But he maintained that the U.S. government controlled whatever changes happened with Starshield, the military-grade version of Starlink that is the backbone of Ukraine's drone operations and communication. He also defended the role of SpaceX in bolstering Ukraine's defences since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. * Starlink restrictions would hamper Ukraine's war effort. But the country can adapt, experts say Restrictions imposed last week on Starshield alarmed the country's military and government officials, with commanders reporting lost drones and disrupted missions. The restoration follows a new U.S. diplomatic push to end the war. Russia agreed Wednesday to resume three-way negotiations with Washington and Kyiv next month. On Friday, Kyiv and Moscow also agreed to a localized ceasefire brokered by U.S. first lady Melania Trump around Oleshky, a war-ravaged, Russian-occupied town in Ukraine's southern Kherson region. Restriction sparked Ukraine, U.S. tension The episode added to tensions between Kyiv and Washington, a relationship already strained by U.S. President Donald Trump's reported deal with Moscow on Russian diesel imports, which Ukraine viewed as a betrayal. Ukraine's Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara credited "direct dialogue" and Zelenskyy's diplomacy with Washington, adding that the outcome mattered most "for our front, for the military, the work of drones, logistics and communications." Trump has maintained that he didn't make the call, while also saying Musk should not be blamed. U.S. Vice-President JD Vance has hinted at White House co-ordination with Musk, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth have denied any administration involvement. Russia, Ukraine continue strikes Meanwhile, a man was killed and two others wounded in a missile attack on the city of Lozova in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, local officials said Saturday. Moscow-installed authorities in cities across Russia-occupied Crimea reported power blackouts Saturday following overnight Ukrainian attacks. Ukraine's General Staff said Saturday that its forces hit a chemical plant in the Russian city of Tolyatti, which produces materials used in rocket fuel. Tolyatti Mayor Ilya Sukhikh said the overnight attack damaged industrial facilities in the city. Embed | Russian military invasion in Ukraine Open full embed in new tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. __________________________________________________________ Ukrainian forces also hit an electronics plant in the city of Oryol, Ukraine's General Staff confirmed Saturday. Local officials in Oryol said Saturday that three people were killed in Friday's attack. The General Staff said the plant makes components for the cruise and ballistic missiles Russia fires at Ukrainian cities. Ukrainian drones also reached Russia's Omsk region in western Siberia, more than 2,000 kilometres from the border with Ukraine. Omsk regional Gov. Vitaly Khotsenko said drones "reached a northern industrial hub." Online retailer Ozon said Saturday that its logistics centre in Omsk has been attacked by a drone, but there were no casualties. Ozon is a competitor to Wildberries, whose facilities Ukraine has also targeted. More Stories Like This The related links below are generated automatically based on the story you’ve just read. Loading... CBC Lite is a low-bandwidth website. To see what's new, check out our release notes. For high quality images, media, comments, and other additional features visit the full version of this story. Theme preference[Auto_] Contrast preference[Auto___] We and select advertising partners use trackers to collect some of your data in order to enhance your experience and to deliver personalized content and advertising. 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