KYIV / MOSCOW: Tech tycoon Elon Musk has accused Ukraine of violating Starlink’s terms of service by using the satellite network for “drone strikes to kill people”, amid tensions between Washington and Kyiv over disruptions to the SpaceX-made system, which is crucial to Ukrainian military operations.

“Ukraine military violated Starlink terms of service and used it for offensive drone strikes to kill people,” Musk wrote in a post on X, adding that the loophole had been closed last week.

Two killed, 13 injured in drone barrage on Russia

“Starlink’s terms have remained consistent as a civilian system, not a means of killing. Violation of those terms will result in end of service,” he wrote in another post.

He said Starlink was critical to Ukraine’s defence for being the only system that could not be jammed or blown up. “Were Starlink to be turned off, the Ukrainian front line would collapse,” he said.

Meanwhile, two people were killed and 13 others wounded as Ukraine unleashed a drone barrage on the Russian border city of Belgorod, Russian authorities said.

Acting Belgorod regional governor Alexander Shuvaev said there had been 154 Ukrainian attacks across the region, with Belgorod city hit particularly hard overnight.

On the Ukrainian side, President Zelensky said Russian strikes killed four people in the Dnipro region.

Separately, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Europe should be included in peace talks as its position could be crucial. The US had been unable to pressure Kyiv into agreeing to a peace deal, Ushakov said in an interview.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2026