Elon Musk reportedly restricted military Starlink service used by Ukrainian forces, report says

Elon Musk ordered speed restrictions on a military version of Starlink used by Ukrainian forces, affecting the operation of attack drones and interceptors and raising alarm in Kyiv, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The restrictions reportedly began on October 14, following expressions of concern from Musk and U.S. President Donald Trump over Ukrainian attacks on Russian diesel refineries. Trump has blamed those operations for rising energy prices, although many analysts attribute a greater impact to the war with Iran.

According to U.S. officials and people familiar with the matter cited by the newspaper, Musk limited the speed at which certain Ukrainian equipment could connect to the satellite network. The move allegedly rendered some offensive drones and interceptor aircraft used to counter attacks practically unusable.

Some sources said Musk acted unilaterally and that Trump had not specifically ordered retaliation against Ukraine. However, another person familiar with the matter said Musk spoke with several senior administration officials, including the president, before imposing the restrictions.

Hours after the restrictions became public, Musk wrote on X that any limits on speed or usage were decided by the U.S. military and ultimately the U.S. president.

Trump said on October 19 that he did not know who was responsible for the measure but added that he would like to find out.

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, meanwhile, said Washington had not withdrawn Starlink coverage or issued directives concerning the service in Ukraine. He said the service operates under terms of use that the company is responsible for enforcing and maintained that U.S. policy toward Ukraine had not changed.

Starlink restrictions spark tensions

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly accused Washington of carrying out a planned operation intended to undermine his country’s defenses, describing the restrictions as “absolutely absurd.”

Trump denied on Friday that he had ordered restrictions on Starlink access, saying he understood that “everything is the same” and questioning whether the service had ever been interrupted.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also challenged Zelensky’s statements on Saturday, saying he was not sure the Ukrainian leader knew what he was talking about. Rubio added that the White House had nothing to do with the reduction in Starlink speeds.

The conflicting accounts have fueled uncertainty over who authorized the restrictions and how they could affect Ukraine’s military communications and drone operations.