Ukraine accuses U.S. of restricting Starlink access before deadly Russian strike

On 15 October, tech mogul Elon Musk took to X to express his discontent, urging Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to resign. Just four days prior, Musk had been vocal about Zelenskyy's actions, claiming they had gone too far following US President Donald Trump's suggestion that Ukraine needed a new leader. When asked by Morgan on 14 October whether he would resign, Zelenskyy firmly stated, "It's my responsibility."

The situation worsened as Washington tightened its grip on Kyiv. Military satellite links experienced a slowdown, US missile warnings failed to reach Ukrainian forces on two consecutive nights, and the US threatened to cut intelligence support unless Ukraine ceased attacking Russian refineries. In response, Zelenskyy, during an interview with Morgan, stated that elections could not be held under the constant threat of Russian attack. He emphasized, "From the point of security, you can't do elections."

Zelenskyy also reminded Trump that Crimea and parts of Donbas were already under Russian occupation at the time Trump took office, long before the full-scale invasion. He stressed that security was paramount, emphasizing that "It's not about kilometers. It's about land and homes." Zelenskyy expressed his readiness for elections, provided a full 60-day ceasefire was in place.

According to multiple sources, Trump views Zelenskyy as the primary barrier to achieving a peace agreement and related business deals with Russia. One Trump advisor even suggested that Zelenskyy is an obstacle to Trump's aspirations for the Nobel Peace Prize. Musk's recent post led to further discussions about Starlink, the SpaceX satellite system used by Ukrainian forces for communications and drone operations.

Musk claimed that Starlink, owned and controlled by the US government, sets the limits on its usage. Zelenskyy, however, was uncertain whether the decision was made by SpaceX or the US government, stating, "I think it's about SpaceX."

On 14 October, Musk clarified that Starlink was under US government control and could not be utilized for offensive military actions. Zelenskyy, in an interview with the Financial Times, was unaware of whether the decision stemmed from SpaceX or the US government, adding, "I think it's about SpaceX." A senior US official denied any involvement from the Trump administration in the restrictions imposed on Starlink.