DOMINANT ANGLE
Helsinki is examining the issue of who decides on the connection of a warring army: Elon Musk attributes the speed limit of Starlink to the US army and, ultimately, to Donald Trump.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
Serhii Beskrestnov, Zelensky's advisor, confirmed a speed limit on Starlink terminals the night before Wednesday, October 14, which disrupted several drone operations (Ilta-Sanomat).
- 02
Musk claims that Starshield belongs to the US government and that speed or usage limits are decided by the US military and, ultimately, by Donald Trump (MTV Uutiset).
- 03
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense announced an improved connection on Wednesday evening, while noting that the flight speed of drones remained restricted (MTV Uutiset).
ANALYSIS
Helsinki, October 15, 2026. Finnish media are treating the Starlink episode as a matter of responsibility: who, the company or the US state, is in charge of connecting Ukrainian drones? Ilta-Sanomat recalls that Serhii Beskrestnov, an advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky, confirmed that the speed of Starlink terminals had been limited on the night preceding Wednesday, October 14, which disrupted military operations. According to him, the restriction affected the Starshield service of SpaceX, the military version of Starlink used by the US Department of Defense, among others.
MTV Uutiset headlines with Elon Musk "shifting the blame to Trump". The newspaper reports that, according to Musk, Starshield systems belong to the US government and are managed by it; the speed or usage limits are therefore the responsibility of the US military and, ultimately, the president. Musk adds that Starlink is intended for civilian or defensive use only and cannot be used for offensive operations. MTV specifies that the slowdown occurred without prior warning.
Both articles emphasize the effect on drones: Ukraine uses Starlink, in particular, for drone strikes, and Beskrestnov says that the connection slowed down at certain speeds, disrupting several operations. Ilta-Sanomat quotes Zelensky: "people will die" if Starlink does not work; he hoped for an "error" or a technical problem.
The restoration is presented as partial. Former Defense Minister Mykhaïlo Fedorov had written that Starlink was working again at least at 160 km/h; he then calls for the complete lifting of the Starshield limit and thanks Musk. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense indicated on Wednesday evening that the connection had improved, but SpaceX still seemed to be throttling the speed of the drones (MTV, article updated at 10:57 pm on October 14).
The Finnish press also notes the blurred line between commercial service and military tool: Ilta-Sanomat quotes Reuters, according to which Starlink and Starshield are based on the same satellite technology. MTV reports that Ukrainian officials have accused the United States of deliberately slowing down Starlink, to the benefit of Russia or to punish Ukraine. Both media outlets stick to the statements of the actors, without their own editorial commentary on US policy.
