The key facts

  • WSJ: Musk restricted Starlink speed for Ukraine from October 14, some military drones became nearly useless
  • Trump said he does not know who is responsible but would like to find out; Musk said limits are set by the US military and the president
  • WSJ sources disagree: some say Musk decided unilaterally, others say he discussed it with senior officials, including Trump

Starlink slowdown and Kyiv's reaction

Elon Musk ordered a slowdown of the military version of Starlink used by Ukrainian forces, causing panic in Kyiv and confusion in the Trump administration, The Wall Street Journal reported. According to the outlet's sources, Musk restricted the speed of the satellite internet, as a result of which some Ukrainian military drones became practically useless. The slowdown began on October 14. Ukrainian officials said that because of it, Russian missiles were able to evade their defenses. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that 'Ukrainians could die if unrestricted service is not restored.'

Conflicting accounts of who made the decision

Some US officials told WSJ that Musk acted unilaterally and that Trump did not give a specific order for retaliation against Ukraine. However, another source told the outlet that Musk discussed introducing the speed restriction with several senior officials of the administration, including Trump. According to WSJ, Musk and Trump discussed the Starlink decision before and after the slowdown became public last week, but the president denied giving such an order.

The administration's and Musk's position

Hours after the slowdown became known, Musk wrote on X that 'any limits on speed or usage are set by the US military and ultimately the President of the United States.' Trump on Monday told journalists that he does not know who is responsible for the Starlink slowdown, adding: 'but I would like to find out.' US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday: 'we did not recall anything,' but 'Starlink has the right to make decisions about its terms of service,' adding that 'we did not issue any directives.'

Context

According to WSJ, both Musk and Trump in recent weeks have expressed displeasure with Ukraine over attacks on Russian oil refineries, which the president blames for high oil prices. The slowdown followed a series of statements by the Trump administration perceived by Ukrainian officials as hostile, including criticism of Zelensky by Trump and Musk. This, according to the outlet, led Kyiv to immediately assume that the order came either from the president or from Musk.