Technology journalist Kara Swisher accused Elon Musk of lying on Saturday, 24 October 2026, over Starlink restrictions in Ukraine. Musk defended limits on the civilian satellite service after reports of disrupted battlefield communications. Ukrainian officials said Starlink and its military counterpart, Starshield, had returned to their previous operating speeds.
The controversy followed restrictions first reported on 14 October that affected satellite connections used by Ukrainian forces against Russia. Drones and other fast-moving equipment reportedly lost connectivity above roughly 160km/h, complicating some operations. The problem concerned how fast connected equipment could travel, not ordinary internet download speeds.
