Elon Musk ordered Starlink slowdown for Ukraine: Report
Musk and President Donald Trump have both recently criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has also flagged disruptions in U.S. intel sharing.
U.S. officials and people close to the situation informed The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday that Elon Musk had ordered a reduction in speed for a military-grade version of Starlink utilized by Ukrainian forces. This move, implemented on October 14, diminished the effectiveness of certain Ukrainian attack and interceptor drones, according to the report. Ukrainian officials asserted that this restriction impeded their strike operations and air defenses, with some alleging that Russian missiles bypassed interception.
The decision to impose the speed cap emerged during heightened tensions between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy over Ukraine's strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, which Trump had attributed to soaring diesel prices. Musk and Trump reportedly engaged in discussions regarding the Starlink restrictions, although differing accounts emerged on whether Musk acted autonomously or sought guidance from senior administration officials beforehand, as reported by the Journal.
Musk clarified on social media platform X that the decision was made by the U.S. military and ultimately by the president. Trump, however, expressed uncertainty about who was responsible for the restrictions, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth denied issuing any directive.
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