The key facts

  • On October 16, Trump said he did not give an order to restrict Starshield in Ukraine
  • The Telegraph reported that Musk proposed the idea of restrictions to Trump, who approved it; Reuters and AFP cite contradictory information
  • Ukraine's Defense Ministry reported disruptions on the night of October 14 and the restoration of terminal operations on October 15

Trump denies involvement in the restrictions

On October 16, speaking to journalists near the White House, Donald Trump denied reports that he had ordered restrictions on Starshield operations in Ukraine. 'I don't know if anyone did that. It wasn't me,' the US president said, adding that he learned about the restrictions from the morning news and that, according to the information he has, the system is working as before. This was reported by DW.

Musk's statement and The Telegraph's report

On October 14, Elon Musk, responding to a post on the social network X by former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, said that decisions to restrict Starshield operations are made by the US military and, ultimately, the president. Fedorov thanked him for the gradual restoration of the system's operation. On October 16, The Telegraph, citing four sources, reported that Musk proposed the idea of restricting Starshield capabilities in Ukraine to Trump, and, according to one of the sources, the president approved the proposal, after which the Pentagon imposed the restrictions.

The nature of the restrictions

According to The Telegraph, there is a speed limit of approximately 160 kilometers per hour for using the system on the move. This refers not to data transfer speed, but to the maximum speed of movement of a device with an installed terminal. The outlet notes that such a threshold seriously limits the capabilities of equipment used to intercept fast Russian jet drones and missiles.

Contradictions over who made the decision

Reports about who was behind the decision differ: Reuters sources claimed that the instruction came from the White House, whereas, according to an American official interviewed by AFP, Trump did not give such an order.

Kyiv's reaction

According to Ukraine's Defense Ministry, restrictions on Starshield operations appeared on the night of October 14 and hampered the work of unmanned systems and logistics. On October 15, the ministry announced the restoration of terminal operations in the field. A senior Ukrainian official, who spoke with DW on condition of anonymity, said that Kyiv had not received explanations from the US about the restrictions and views the situation as a signal of possible new restrictions in the future.