Musk Reportedly Ordered Slowdown of Ukraine's Satellite Link

Starshield, the military version of SpaceX's Starlink internet service, has been cutting off Ukrainian equipment moving faster than 160 km/h since October 14. US officials and people familiar with the matter were cited as saying so.

Drones Grounded, Missiles Getting Through
The effects on the battlefield have been serious. Ukrainian officials say the limit has left some attack and interceptor drones almost useless, and that Russian missiles have been able to slip past air defenses as a result.

Once the slowdown became public, Musk wrote on X that Starshield systems are "owned and controlled by the US government." He said any limits on speed or usage were set by the US military and, in the end, the president.

The report tells a different story. It says Musk spoke with Trump about the decision after it came out, and one source claimed the two had also talked about it beforehand. Even so, some US officials believe Musk acted on his own and that Trump never ordered any punishment for Ukraine. The timing is hard to ignore, as the slowdown arrived during tensions between Washington and Kyiv over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil facilities.

Denials All Round
Trump has denied any role. Asked on Friday who was responsible, he said "it wasn't me" and "I don't think it was Elon." On Monday, he told reporters he did not know who gave the order and wanted to find out.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth took a similar line on Tuesday. "We haven't pulled anything back," he said, adding that no directives had been issued. He argued that SpaceX has the right to set its own terms of service.

The report also says SpaceX lobbied the White House to present a united message, so that the company and the administration would appear to have acted together.

This would not be the first time Musk has faced such accusations. Last year, it was reported that he ordered Starlink coverage cut over part of the Kherson region during Ukraine's counteroffensive in 2022.