Elon Musk spent Friday accusing Ukraine's elites of getting rich off Russia's war, just as Ukrainian soldiers were reporting that restrictions on his SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX) satellite network are costing them drones in the field. Two stories, one company, and a whole lot of finger-pointing.
Musk described a "massive incentive difference between the elites and the people."
"The former have grown very rich off the hundreds of billions flowing to Ukraine, while the latter's children are conscripted to die in trenches," he wrote on X.
He added that some U.S. taxpayer money "comes back through multiple laundry machines to fund political campaigns in America." He offered no evidence.
Ukrainian Drones Lose Their Connection
Ukrainian forces reported disruptions on Oct. 14 after satellite connections began failing on drones traveling faster than about 100 mph. Starshield, SpaceX's military-grade version of Starlink, helps Ukrainian troops guide drones and intercept Russian attacks.
"We lost a lot of assets, much more than usual," a Ukrainian officer told CNN, describing connection losses lasting 10 to 15 seconds.
President Donald Trump said Thursday that Musk had restored service. But five Ukrainian officials told Reuters Friday that restrictions remained.
"The speed limits on Starlink and Starshield are still there, and the speed has not been restored," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told CNN Friday.
Who imposed the restrictions remains disputed. CBS reported that Musk personally ordered the slowdown, while Reuters earlier traced the directive to the White House.
"Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS," Musk said last week. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said SpaceX controls access, while Trump denied ordering the restrictions. Everyone has a different answer, and none of them quite line up.
The Earlier Starlink Shutdown
This is not the first time Musk's satellite network has found itself in the middle of a battlefield controversy. Reuters reported in July 2025 that Musk ordered Starlink coverage cut during Ukraine's September 2022 counteroffensive near Kherson. At least 100 terminals went dark, disrupting reconnaissance drones and artillery coordination.
"The encirclement stalled entirely. It failed," a Ukrainian official said of an operation near Beryslav.
Ukrainian forces subsequently retook Beryslav and Kherson. SpaceX disputed the report as inaccurate.
Musk's Allegations Face Scrutiny
Ukraine has documented corruption scandals, but Musk presented no evidence that U.S. aid financed American campaigns. PolitiFact previously found no evidence supporting a similar allegation.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) announced a congressional inquiry Thursday into SpaceX's control of battlefield communications, warning that "a single point of control can be turned against the forces that depend on it."
As the fighting continues, Polymarket traders assigned 22% odds to a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire agreement by Dec. 31, with roughly $3 million traded on that contract.
SpaceX shares rose Friday after dropping 9.1% Thursday. Investor Ross Gerber warned the dispute could damage government confidence in SpaceX.
