Elon Musk confirmed on Saturday that he was responsible for a recent slowdown of Starlink satellite internet services in Ukraine. The disruption reportedly impacted the Ukrainian military's ability to conduct operations. Musk explained his decision in a post on the social media platform X, stating that the Ukrainian military had utilized the Starlink network to facilitate offensive drone strikes. According to Musk, these actions constituted a violation of the service's terms of service, which prohibit the use of the technology for lethal military operations.

While Musk framed the move as closing a "loophole" in the system, the admission highlights the ongoing tension between the private provider and the Ukrainian government regarding the use of civilian infrastructure in an active war zone. The Hill reports that the slowdown occurred last week, directly affecting military capabilities. Fox News notes that the service has since been restored, though the underlying disagreement regarding the scope of Starlink's permitted use remains a point of contention. Neither outlet provided specific details on the nature of the "loophole" or the specific technical methods used to restrict the service, nor did they provide a response from Ukrainian officials regarding the alleged violations.