Elon Musk ordered a slowdown of the military-grade Starlink system used by Ukraine, capping connection speeds for Ukrainian hardware and leaving some offensive and interceptor drones virtually useless, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The restrictions took effect last week, sparking panic in Kyiv, according to U.S. officials and people familiar with the matter.
Musk and President Trump have both expressed anger at Ukraine over attacks on Russian diesel refineries. Trump has linked the strikes to higher energy prices. Musk and Trump discussed the Starlink issue before the slowdown took effect and spoke again in a call shortly after it became public, according to people familiar with the matter.
SpaceX representatives also contacted White House officials during the ensuing backlash, seeking a shared understanding and a public message that the company and administration had coordinated before Musk’s directive.
Musk has said Starshield, the military version of the satellite system, is owned and controlled by the U.S. government, adding that decisions about speed or usage restrictions are made by the U.S. military and ultimately the president.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
