Musk Ordered Starlink Slowdown for Ukraine, Reports Say
Elon Musk Orders Starlink Slowdown for Ukrainian Military
Elon Musk instructed a reduction in the speed of a military-grade variant of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite service that Ukraine relies on for battlefield communications and drone operations, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The restriction hampered Kyiv’s attack and air defense drone missions against Russia. Regular Starlink terminals carry a speed cap of 70 kilometers per hour for internet use in moving vehicles, but the military version known as Starshield features no artificial speed limit and normally functions at speeds of at least 160 kilometers per hour, according to CBS News.
White House Orders SpaceX to Slow Starshield Service
The order to limit the satellite system originated from inside the White House, according to Reuters, citing two U.S. officials and a Western official briefed on the matter. Leaders at the Defense Department received a message stating that the SpaceX Starshield service for the Ukrainian military needed to be slowed. The officials, who spoke on anonymity, did not specify which individual within the White House made the decision or executed the order.
Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS.Starlink is a commercial service owned and controlled by SpaceX. Usage of Starlink is limited to civilian or defensive activities…
Musk and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed the Starlink decision in a phone call soon after the slowdown became public while Trump was campaigning last week, the Wall Street Journal reported. The two had also discussed the matter prior to the decision to throttle Starlink. Trump stated last week that he did not think either he or Musk was responsible for Ukraine losing Starlink access. A senior U.S. official told Reuters that no such request was ever made by the president, while the White House did not respond to questions regarding whether other administration officials made the request.
Musk wrote on X that any limits on speed or usage are decided by the U.S. military and ultimately the president, adding that the U.S. controls who can access the technology and what level of service those users receive. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on Tuesday that Washington had not pulled back Ukraine’s ability to access the satellite network, signaling instead that the issue involved the terms of service Kyiv needed to comply with. Hegseth noted to reporters that nothing had changed from the administration’s view and that the administration had not issued any directives to curb the service.
Here is what you need to know about the US restricting Ukraine’s access to Starlink this week:On Wednesday, Ukrainian soldiers said they noticed “speed limits” imposed on their Starshields.These are military-grade starlink internet dishes, made by Elon Musk’s SpaceX that…
Operational Impact on Ukrainian Defense Forces
Ukrainian officials noted that the restrictions made more challenging strike missions against Russian forces and logistics in occupied territory, and reduced the speed of interceptor drones used to shoot down incoming Russian Shahed drones. Sources in Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense told CBS News that SpaceX had unilaterally imposed the Starshield restrictions.
Following the move to restrict access, Ukrainian officials made calls on Tuesday and Wednesday to seek answers from senior officials at the White House, State Department, and Pentagon, according to a senior Ukrainian official who added that Kyiv was informed it was a White House decision. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who traveled to Oslo to repair U.S. relations, stated on Tuesday that he discussed issues including the situation with Starlink and Starshield with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, emphasizing that the service needs to be restored. Zelenskiy told NBC News on Sunday that limits on Ukraine’s Starshield service remained in place.
Trump Waives Russian Sanctions as Lawmakers Probe Restrictions
The disruption unfolded against a backdrop of strained relations between Kyiv and Washington. President Trump recently announced a deal to buy Russian diesel, waived new sanctions on Moscow, told Kyiv to stop attacking Russian refineries, and urged Ukrainians to replace Zelenskiy. Both Musk and Trump have expressed anger at Ukraine for attacking Russian diesel refineries in recent weeks, which Trump blames for high energy prices.
The satellite restrictions drew a sharp response from U.S. lawmakers, with a bipartisan group of senators asking the Defense Department’s internal watchdog last week to investigate the matter. Musk, SpaceX, and the White House did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.