Musk ordered reduction in Starshield services for Ukraine

Elon Musk, the tech billionaire, reportedly ordered a slowdown of Starlink, a military-grade version of SpaceX's satellite service that Ukraine heavily depends on, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Ukrainian government utilizes Starlink for battlefield communications and drone operations, and restricting the service effectively curtails the country's offensive and defensive missions against Russia.

Last week, sources cited by the Wall Street Journal reported that Musk had capped the speeds at which Ukrainian hardware could maintain connectivity to the satellite-based network, rendering certain offensive and interceptor drones virtually ineffective. Two unnamed sources told the Journal that Musk and US President Donald Trump discussed the Starlink decision during a call shortly after the slowdown became public.

While some US officials believed Musk acted unilaterally and Trump did not specifically order retribution against Ukraine, another source familiar with the situation claimed Musk spoke with multiple senior administration officials, including Trump, even before implementing the speed limitation. Both Musk and Trump have expressed frustration towards Ukraine for attacking Russian diesel refineries in recent weeks, a move Trump attributes to high energy prices.

This development arrives after Trump's previous comments last week, dismissing any responsibility for Ukraine losing Starlink access, both Musk and Trump had previously stated that limits on speed or use were determined by the US military or the president. The report also highlights a recent meeting between US envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which was described as "constructive," and the White House's comment that it was time for Ukraine to end the war. As of now, Musk, SpaceX, and the White House have not commented on the report.