(Photo courtesy of Anadolu)
WASHINGTON – SpaceX founder Elon Musk reportedly ordered restrictions on a military-grade version of Starlink used by Ukrainian forces, disrupting drone operations and raising concerns among officials in Kyiv, according to a Wall Street Journal report published Tuesday.
Citing US officials familiar with the matter, the report said Musk imposed speed limits on the satellite internet service, significantly affecting Ukraine’s ability to operate certain military drones during its ongoing war with Russia.
The restrictions reportedly began on October 14 and caused confusion within the administration of US President Donald Trump, with conflicting accounts emerging over who authorized the decision.
According to the report, Musk and Trump had expressed frustration over recent Ukrainian attacks on Russian diesel refineries, which Trump blamed for rising oil prices.
Sources told the newspaper that Musk and Trump discussed the Starlink restrictions before and after the slowdown became public. However, Trump denied ordering the measure.
Following reports of the restrictions, Musk wrote on social media platform X that decisions concerning Starlink speed and usage limits were determined by the US military and ultimately the president.
Trump, meanwhile, told reporters Monday that he was unaware of who authorized the slowdown but wanted to determine who was responsible.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also denied that the Pentagon had ordered any reduction in services.
“We haven’t pulled anything back,” Hegseth said Tuesday, adding that Starlink could independently make decisions regarding its terms of service.
“We haven’t made any directives or anything like that,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that continued restrictions could endanger Ukrainian lives if full service was not restored.
Ukrainian officials also claimed that the reduced connectivity had weakened some defensive capabilities, potentially allowing Russian missiles to evade interception.
The Wall Street Journal cited differing accounts from US officials regarding the decision.
Some sources maintained that Musk acted independently and that Trump had not specifically authorized retaliatory measures against Ukraine.
However, another person familiar with the situation claimed that Musk had consulted several senior administration officials, including Trump, before implementing the speed restrictions.
The reported slowdown came amid growing tensions between Washington and Kyiv following critical statements by Trump administration officials concerning Ukraine’s military actions.
According to the report, Ukrainian officials initially suspected that either Trump or Musk had directed the restrictions.
The conflicting accounts have left questions about the decision-making process and responsibility for the reported disruption to Ukraine’s military communications.
