Elon Musk personally gave the order to restrict Ukraine's Starlink service, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials. The American newspaper's account, summarised by Nettavisen, places the decision with the SpaceX owner rather than with the White House, after both Musk and President Donald Trump had publicly criticised Ukraine's continued strikes on Russian oil infrastructure.
Ukraine began experiencing Starlink problems last week, when SpaceX introduced speed limits on certain services. Ukrainian military operations were disrupted as a result. Kyiv relies on a military version of the network known as Starshield.
Why it matters
The restriction hit a system that underpins both Ukraine's drone operations and its air defence. According to Nettavisen, the Starlink trouble left some Ukrainian drones effectively unusable. The network is also used daily to strike targets in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory, and it plays a role in intercepting jet-powered Geran drones, according to Oleksii Moskalenko, an air-defence expert Nettavisen spoke to in Ukraine.
"It is going to kill a lot of Ukrainians now. Both soldiers and civilians," Moskalenko told Nettavisen after the restrictions took effect.
The episode also carries diplomatic weight. President Volodymyr Zelenskyj had blamed Donald Trump for ordering the cut-off, and Musk had likewise pointed the finger at Trump. The Wall Street Journal's reporting now shifts the focus back to Musk.
Conflicting accounts of who decided
US officials told the Wall Street Journal that Musk ordered a reduction in speed on the military version of Starlink that Ukraine depends on. The decision, those officials said, caused alarm in Kyiv and confusion within the Trump administration.
The newspaper reports that Musk and Trump discussed the Starlink decision by phone shortly after the speed reduction became known. Both men have recently voiced displeasure at Ukraine's ongoing attacks on the Russian oil industry.
The sources the Wall Street Journal spoke to do not agree on how the decision came about. Some believe Musk acted independently and that Trump did not order retaliation against Ukraine. Others say Musk spoke with Trump and several other officials before the speed restrictions were imposed.
SpaceX has not commented on the matter. According to Nettavisen, neither the Pentagon nor SpaceX has given Ukraine an explanation for why the service was limited.
What the limits look like on the ground
Initial reports indicated that Starlink stopped working once speeds exceeded 160 kilometres per hour. Later accounts suggested the service could fail at speeds as low as 60 to 70 kilometres per hour.
The restrictions do not affect drones striking oil refineries, data centres, weapons plants and depots inside Russian territory, because Starlink does not operate on Russian soil. Targets in Russian-occupied Ukraine, however, are attacked daily using the network.
Nettavisen's reporting also notes that the US continues to share intelligence with Ukraine, according to a statement by Marco Rubio carried by VG.
What to watch next is whether SpaceX or the US government offers any public explanation for the speed limits, and whether the restrictions are lifted or tightened further.
