Musk ordered slowdown of Starlink service used by Ukraine's military, WSJ reports

Elon Musk reportedly ordered a slowdown of the military-grade Starlink satellite service provided to Ukraine, the Wall Street Journal disclosed on Tuesday, relying on information from US officials and individuals familiar with the situation. SpaceX and the White House declined to comment immediately, and Reuters was unable to independently confirm the information.

Ukraine utilizes Starlink for battlefield communications and drone operations; limiting the service has reportedly hindered Ukraine's attack and air defense drone missions against Russia. Musk and then-US President Donald Trump spoke about the Starlink decision on a call shortly after it became public, as the president campaigned, according to the report.

They had also discussed the matter previously before the decision to throttle Starlink. Reuters had exclusively reported that the order to restrict the satellite system originated within the White House. Trump stated last week that he believed neither he nor Musk was accountable for Ukraine losing Starlink access, while Musk suggested that any limitations on speed or service could have contributed to the issue.