According to Ukrainian officials and an expert, Starshield, the military version of Starlink, remains throttled in Ukraine, and since October 14, any drone traveling above 100 mph has lost its connection, disrupting some missions. Despite recent comments from President Donald Trump that service was restored, Starshield terminals still had problems on Friday, according to Dmitri Alperovitch and Zelenskyy. The Wall Street Journal reported Trump had called Elon Musk about lifting the restrictions, but Trump later said he had not spoken with Musk, and Musk and SpaceX did not respond to requests for comment. Amid the disruptions, Ukraine has floated other satellite communications options, including a letter of intent with Nokia and ICEYE, though experts say alternatives are not yet comparable to Starlink.
Summary written by Upside AI from the original article. Read the source for full details.
Keywords
SpaceXUkraineElon Muskdefensegeopolitics
Open a keyword to see other news on the same topic.
Related news
- How Elon Musk went from Tesla CEO to the most powerful civilian, non-governmental actor in history
Elon Musk has moved beyond the role of Tesla (TSLA) CEO, as his companies, including SpaceX (SPCX), now control communications, military, space-launch and AI infrastructure with influence over national security. This month, restrictions on SpaceX's satellite services disrupted Ukraine's military operations, including battlefield drones, and accounts conflict over who ordered them: Musk says the White House controls access to Starshield, while officials in the Trump administration say they were not involved. SpaceX handles roughly 90% of all mass sent into orbit, the Pentagon is Starshield's largest customer, and countries including the Philippines, Argentina and Indonesia use Starlink for national communications. Experts say Musk commands resources larger than all but a handful of governments, though CEOs of major banks, oil companies and Silicon Valley also wield political influence. The article argues that governments increasingly rely on a few private corporations for capabilities once controlled by the state.
- How Elon Musk went from Tesla CEO to the 'most powerful civilian, non-governmental actor in history'
Elon Musk, who controls SpaceX, has gained influence that reaches into national security, international relations and the global economy, well beyond his corporate role. This month, reported restrictions on SpaceX's satellite communications disrupted Ukraine's military operations, causing hours of slower drone speeds and faulty front-line communications. Musk says the White House controls Ukraine's access to Starshield, while officials in the Trump administration say they were not involved. Musk said on SpaceX's earnings call that the company accounts for roughly 90% of all mass sent into orbit, and the Pentagon is Starshield's largest customer. Darrell West of the Brookings Institution said Musk can turn a country's communications on or off, while Adam Segal of the Council on Foreign Relations said the U.S. has outsourced much of its strategic capability to private corporations.
- Musk's clash with Ukraine accelerates demand for Starlink alternatives. Few exist
Tensions between Elon Musk and Ukraine highlight Starlink's key role in Kyiv's defense and the risks of relying on a single satellite provider. On Oct. 14, Ukrainian officials accused SpaceX and the U.S. of abruptly imposing speed limits on Starshield, cutting connectivity for drones and aircraft flying above 100 miles per hour; one commander said the restrictions cost his unit more than $1 million and delayed missions by 3 days. The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk ordered the changes after discussing them with Trump, though Trump said he was not involved, and a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers has called for an investigation. Starlink has more than 11,000 satellites and operates in 174 countries, while Amazon Leo has only 390 satellites in orbit, and rival projects remain distant, with TeraWave targeting its first deployment in the fourth quarter of 2027 and the EU's IRIS² not expected to launch until 2029.
- Calls Grow In Europe For Governments To Develop Alternatives To , Or Outright Abandon , Musk - Controlled Tech
Ukraine is pushing for a European alternative to Starlink after restrictions on Starshield, the military version of Starlink, reportedly cut connectivity for drones flying faster than 100 mph and forced cancellation of many defensive missions. Elon Musk suggested the U.S. government was behind the restrictions; President Donald Trump denied this, but Reuters corroborated the charge. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski accused Musk of “playing politics,” while Ukrainian official Ihor Zhovkva said European countries must have their own system. The EU's IRIS² network, with 348 satellites, is not expected to be operational until 2029 or 2030. Separately, the EU announced a $137 million fine against X under the Digital Services Act, and Scotland's SNP backed a UK-wide ban on X.
- Elon Musk Blames Trump for Ukrainian Satellite Restrictions
Ukraine was caught off guard by new limits on satellite connectivity inside the country, which hampered its ability to use military drones and defend against Russian attacks. The post also cites Elon Musk blaming Trump, with finger-pointing over Starshield.
- The SpaceX-Ukraine Situation Gets More Confusing
Related markets
Latest news
- 3 Gold Stocks With Net Margins Over 34%
Gold's brief move above $5,000 earlier this year showed how quickly the metal can swing when fear and inflation worries rise. The article highlights three gold miners with tight cost control and clean balance sheets and notes the full Elite Gold Stocks screen covers 32 more. Newmont (NEM), a large global miner with a market cap of US$118.9b, mainly produces gold from long-life deposits, and its focus on operational stability, cost discipline and productivity gains at sites such as Lihir and Boddington is expected to lower operating costs and improve EBITDA margins. DRDGOLD (DRD), with a market cap of US$2.1b, recovers gold from surface mine tailings in South Africa, reporting ZAR 11,159 million of FY2026 revenue, a 38.1% net margin and 33.4% ROE. Investors would need to weigh whether its capital efficiency holds up under expansion funding pressure and shifts in non-cash earnings quality.
- SLB (SLB) Opens Canada Facility After Data Center Win Changed The Story
SLB (NYSE:SLB) is launching a modular data center infrastructure facility in Canada to serve Meta as a modular partner, handling offsite assembly, installation and commissioning of components for Meta data centers. The move extends the energy services provider, with a market value of about $73.5 billion, beyond its oilfield focus into hyperscale digital infrastructure, drawing on its experience with large industrial projects. The article links the project to SLB's Data Center Solutions segment, which alongside Kelvion is targeted to generate US$4.5b to US$5.0b of data center revenue and US$700m to US$800m of adjusted EBITDA in 2028, and says reaching these goals depends on smooth integration and on hyperscale contracts ramping as planned. Key indicators to watch include how SLB reports this segment, particularly backlog tied to Meta and other hyperscalers, the margin impact of ramp-up costs, and progress toward the Canadian facility's planned opening in the first half of 2027.
- The Nasdaq Just Had Its Worst Day in 4 Months. Here's the Level That Would Signal a Correction, and What History Says Investors Can Do About It.
The Nasdaq Composite fell 2.6% on Oct. 22 to close at 26,008.86, its largest drop since a 4.2% decline on June 5. A correction, a fall of at least 10% from the highs, would require a further 4.1% drop to below 24,950, which would mark the third correction this year. Corrections have been occurring more frequently, but recoveries have generally been quick, with the 2022 to early 2024 slump the main exception. The article attributes the choppier market to fast-spreading information, easy trading, and concentration in AI-linked mega-cap stocks that make up much of the S&P 500. It says holding quality companies, index funds, or ETFs is the simplest way to endure corrections, and suggests reviewing whether large positions are highly correlated.
- Oklo Is Down 61% This Year Despite a Real Technical Milestone. Here's the Disconnect Between the Stock and the Science.
Oklo stock has fallen more than 60% this year, and the VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF (NLR) has dropped 25%, as Wall Street has grown less confident about nuclear stocks. Oklo's AI power opportunity, once its main tailwind, has become a headwind as investors question whether spending on AI infrastructure will deliver big returns. The company has reached technical milestones, including first criticality of its Groves test reactor in Texas in August, NRC approval of principal design criteria for its Aurora powerhouse in May, and DOE approval of a preliminary safety analysis for a reactor in Idaho. However, Oklo remains unprofitable, is still burning cash, and lacks regulatory approval for Aurora, whose planned 2028 launch is not guaranteed given its history of delays. The author suggests a small speculative position may fit some investors, while less aggressive investors may prefer other growth stocks.
- Stock Market Sell-Off: History Says This Is the Best Move to Make Right Now
The Nasdaq Composite has fallen 7.6% from its early October highs, with AI stocks among the main drags on the index. The author argues against panic selling, noting that the Fidelity NASDAQ Composite Index ETF (ONEQ) fell 33% in 2022 before soaring 44.6% in 2024, while investors who moved to cash missed that rebound. As of Oct. 23, ONEQ had gained 150% since the end of 2022. The author says the effective approach is to stay the course, keep regular investments going so each contribution buys more at lower prices, and treat a pullback as a chance to add quality stocks whose declines are unrelated to their fundamentals. The article cites John Bogle's “stay the course” philosophy, which Warren Buffett and Benjamin Graham would also agree with.
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals Gets 96% of Product Sales From Treatments for 1 Disease. Here's Why That's About to Change.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals' cystic fibrosis (CF) therapies brought in about $3.2 billion of its $3.33 billion second-quarter revenue, roughly 96%. The company expects $500 million or more in 2026 sales from Journavx and Casgevy, and recently reported positive Phase 2b data for inaxaplin in APOL1-mediated kidney disease, with reduced urine protein and no serious side effects. Q2 revenue rose 12% year over year, EPS reached $4.31, and full-year revenue guidance was raised to $13.1 billion to $13.2 billion, while the $10 billion Crinetics Pharmaceuticals acquisition closed on Sept. 1. Shares are up more than 15% so far this year, and the article suggests this gain does not appear to come only from hype.
Get the briefing on Telegram or Zalo
Join the Upside Telegram channel or Zalo group for the Vietnam stocks and gold briefing at 8:00 and 19:00 (Vietnam time) on trading days, plus a weekly wrap on Saturday morning.