“We closed this loophole”: Musk opposed Ukraine using Starlink for attacks

American billionaire and SpaceX head Elon Musk has once again emphasized that the Starlink satellite internet system must remain strictly for civilian purposes, explaining why its use in offensive military strikes is prohibited.

Musk stated that using the system directly for attacks turns Starlink satellites into legitimate military targets, and their destruction could close off outer space for all humanity.

“The loophole is closed”: Ukrainian drones and rules of use

The founder of SpaceX openly stated that the rules of system usage by the Armed Forces of Ukraine were violated:

• Use in offensive strikes: According to Musk, the Ukrainian military used the Starlink communication system to launch offensive strikes via unmanned aerial vehicles (drones);

• Restrictions introduced: The businessman announced that this "loophole" in the system was programmatically closed last week and such actions will no longer be permitted;

• Civilian and military boundary: He specifically stressed that while the system can be used as general military infrastructure (e.g., for communications and command), it must not be turned into a direct weapon of attack.

“Space debris disaster”: Why is Musk concerned?

Elon Musk explained on his official page on the X (formerly Twitter) network that the root cause of the decision comes down to global security:

• Risk of a legitimate military target: "If Starlink is used for offensive strikes, it becomes a legitimate target for the opposing side, creating the risk of a retaliatory strike," the entrepreneur wrote;

• Paralysis of outer space: The billionaire noted that striking Starlink satellites in orbit would generate a colossal amount of space debris and fragments (Kessler syndrome);

• Space will become unusable: As a result of these chain reactions, the Earth's orbit could be completely blocked, making access to and use of space absolutely impossible for all nations.

It is precisely to prevent this catastrophic scenario that strict restrictions are being placed on using the system as an offensive weapon.