Key facts
- Elon Musk ordered Starlink service for Ukraine's military to be slowed down.
- The decision hampered Ukraine's attack and air defense drone missions.
- Elon Musk and Donald Trump discussed the Starlink decision prior to and after it was implemented.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy discussed restoring service with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Elon Musk personally ordered the slowdown of a military-grade version of SpaceX's Starlink satellite service that Ukraine relies on, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday, citing US officials and people familiar with the matter. The restrictions, which began on October 14, hampered Ukraine's battlefield communications and drone operations, leaving some attack and interceptor drones virtually useless, according to Ukrainian officials. Musk, SpaceX, and the White House did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. The Journal reported that Musk and President Trump discussed the Starlink decision on a call after the slowdown became public, and one person familiar with the situation said they discussed it before Musk imposed it. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy discussed the need to restore Starlink/Starshield with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.