The Atlantic suggests that the tightening of restrictions on the military use of Starlink in Ukraine may be an attempt by Elon Musk to switch the Ukrainian military and their allies to the significantly more expensive Starshield service. The publication cites the example of the Middle East, where the Pentagon agreed to a sharp increase in the fees for this service.
Briefly about the main points
- *The Atlantic* sees a possible financial motive behind the restrictions on Starlink.
- Starshield is designed for military use and is considerably more expensive than Starlink.
- The Ukrainian military mainly used standard Starlink antennas.
- The Pentagon has agreed to an increase in the Starshield tariff in the Middle East.
- Musk explained the restrictions as a ban on the offensive use of the system.
The difference in the cost of services
Elon Musk announced the launch of Starshield at the end of 2022. This is a service SpaceX, which is intended exclusively for military customers, and is significantly more expensive than the standard Starlink service. In Ukraine, the US government paid for the majority of Starshield’s services, which ensured the company made a profit.
At the same time, according to *The Atlantic*, the Ukrainian military have generally not switched to Starshield and have continued to use standard Starlink antennas. These cost from $30 per month, whilst the price of Starshield can reach $25 thousand.
An example from the Middle East
In the spring of 2026, the US military used Starshield to control drones during strikes on Iran. When SpaceX found out about this, the company increased the cost of the service in the region from approximately $5 thousand to $25 thousand per terminal per month.
The Pentagon has agreed to the new price. *The Atlantic* sees this episode as a possible parallel for Ukraine: tighter restrictions on the military use of Starlink could increase pressure on Kyiv and its foreign partners to pay for Starshield.
How have the restrictions affected operations?
The service’s speed restrictions brought key operations to a standstill, and Ukraine was unable to shoot down jet «Martyrs», the article states. Earlier, the media, citing informed sources, reported that Musk had personally ordered restrictions to be placed on Starlink for Ukraine.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Donald Trump phoned Mask requesting that the service be restored. Starlink’s performance improved after that, but according to the report, it was not fully restored. 24 October Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Starlink and Starshield are once again operating at the speeds available before the restrictions were introduced.
Elon Musk’s public statement
Musk explained the restrictions by saying that Starlink must remain a civilian system and not be used for offensive strikes. According to him, such use could make the satellites legitimate targets for retaliatory strikes.
He also stated that the destruction of satellites would pose a threat to the security of outer space as a whole. This position is Musk’s public explanation and differs from *The Atlantic*’s suggestion that there might be a financial motive behind the restrictions.
