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

Elon Musk reportedly ordered a slowdown of Starlink, a military-grade satellite service used by Ukraine, citing US officials and people familiar with the situation. The Wall Street Journal reported this on Tuesday, although Reuters could not independently verify the claim. Starlink provides essential battlefield communications and drone operations for Ukraine.

The restriction on the service is believed to have impacted Ukraine's attack and air defense drone missions against Russia. Musk and US President Donald Trump discussed the decision in a call after it became public, with the two also having prior conversations about the matter. The White House is said to have ordered the slowdown, though Trump himself stated he did not believe he or Musk were responsible for Ukraine losing Starlink access.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's relations with Washington have deteriorated further following a deal to purchase Russian diesel and the waiving of sanctions on Moscow. Trump urged Ukraine to cease attacking Russian refineries and suggested Kyiv replace Zelenskiy. Zelenskiy, currently in Oslo, discussed the Starlink issue with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that Washington had not withdrawn Ukraine's access to Starlink's satellite network but indicated the issue lay in the terms of service Ukraine needed to comply with.