Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski warned Elon Musk on Wednesday, October 14, that European customers were closely watching his actions following reports that unexpected restrictions on Starlink had disrupted Ukrainian military operations.
“Hey, @elonmusk, big man, are you playing politics with your products again? As European customers, we are watching you,” Sikorski wrote on X.
His remarks followed reports from Ukraine that some Starlink terminals had begun losing connectivity while moving at high speeds, disrupting drone missions. Ukrainian officials said the restrictions took effect without prior warning.
Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov, a presidential adviser on defence technology, said on Telegram that SpaceX had introduced the restrictions overnight without notifying Ukraine’s Defence Forces.
According to Beskrestnov, the restrictions affected the military Starshield service package and applied to terminals moving at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour, or approximately 160 kilometres per hour.
He said the changes had disrupted several missions and suggested they could be linked to the political situation. That explanation has not been independently confirmed.
Sikorski’s latest remarks recall his dispute with Musk in March 2025 over the reliability of Starlink services supporting Ukraine.
At the time, Sikorski said Poland was paying approximately $50 million annually to provide Ukraine with access to the service and warned that Warsaw would seek another provider if SpaceX proved unreliable.
Musk responded by telling Sikorski to “be quiet, little man.” He later stated that Starlink would never switch off its terminals in Ukraine, despite his disagreements over policy.
European leaders have continued to press Musk to expand Starlink access for Ukraine.
In September, Finnish President Alexander Stubb urged Musk to enable Starlink coverage around Russian ballistic missile launchers. Stubb argued that helping Ukraine destroy the launchers before missiles were fired could save civilian lives.
The latest dispute highlights Ukraine’s reliance on satellite communications for military operations and the broader concerns among European governments about the role of private technology companies in supporting the country’s defence.
