Elon Musk’s SpaceX has come under scrutiny over reported disruptions to satellite internet services used by Ukrainian forces, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accusing the company of restricting access during the war with Russia.A report by The Wall Street Journal, citing officials familiar with the matter, said Musk had directed an intentional slowdown of Ukraine’s essential military Starlink network, triggering alarm in Kyiv and leaving the Trump administration bewildered.US officials, however, have denied ordering any slowdown. Defence secretary Pete Hegseth said Washington had not directed any reduction in the satellite services, while secretary of state Marco Rubio maintained that the White House was not responsible for the reported disruption.
US says it did not order a slowdown
Speaking to reporters, Hegseth said the US military had not instructed any changes to the satellite service used by Ukraine.“We haven’t pulled anything back,” Hegseth said. “Nothing’s changed from our view. We haven’t made any directives or anything like that. And we wish the Ukrainians obviously success.”He said any operational changes or performance adjustments would fall under the satellite provider’s contractual terms.“There are terms of service that ultimately need to be complied with,” Hegseth added, noting that “that’s where Starlink has the option to make those decisions.”Rubio also rejected claims that Washington had ordered Starlink’s speed to be reduced. He stressed that Starlink is a commercial service operated by SpaceX, whereas Starshield is a separate military-grade system controlled by the US government.“Starshield is a defence and military product; that is something that the United States military uses. It is not available to Ukraine, and it is under discussion how they want to use it. I don’t know if Zelenskyy knows what he is talking about. In the United States, nobody ordered that Starlink’s speed be slowed down. In my understanding, it has been restored. That is Starlink; they were using Starlink. Starshield is in contract with the US military, has nothing to do with Ukraine.“Rubio said Ukraine was seeking access to Starshield for operations inside Russia, but insisted that the reported disruption had nothing to do with the White House.“Ukraine wants access to Starshield… in order to conduct deep strikes inside Russia. They do not have access to it at this moment. I don’t know what their theory is, but it has nothing to do with the White House. I saw a report the other day; it is categorically false. No one at the White House ordered the slowdown of the internet so certain drones couldn’t use it,” he added.
Zelenskyy alleges disruption affected military operations
The controversy follows concerns over satellite connectivity disruptions that reportedly affected Ukrainian military operations as Russian attacks continued. According to Axios, Zelenskyy raised concerns about the impact of the disruptions on Ukraine’s ability to defend itself.In an interview with British broadcaster Piers Morgan on Piers Morgan Uncensored, Zelenskyy accused Musk of restricting Ukrainian access to Starlink and said the disruption had affected military operations.“I am sure they knew what they did, absolutely,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the reported disruption.“Because it was 1 am at night, (when) Starlink was blocked by SpaceX and the United States,” he added.CNN reported that Ukrainian authorities were caught off guard by restrictions affecting Starshield. A Ukrainian military source with direct knowledge of the impact told the broadcaster, “The complications are substantial.”Ukrainian forces rely on Starlink connectivity to operate reconnaissance and interceptor drones, gather intelligence and carry out other battlefield activities. Any disruption to the service can therefore affect communications and the coordination of military operations.
Starlink connectivity reportedly being restored
Mykhailo Fedorov, former minister of defence of Ukraine, later said Starlink connectivity was being restored and called for the removal of restrictions affecting Starshield.“Starlink connectivity at speeds of up to 160 km/h is being restored. Removing Starshield’s speed limit entirely is now critical for Ukraine’s defence. Thank you, Elon Musk. We hope for your continued support,” Fedorov posted on X.The dispute highlights Ukraine’s reliance on satellite communications for its war effort and the influence that private technology providers can have on military operations. While US officials deny ordering a slowdown, questions remain over the reported disruption, the distinction between Starlink and Starshield, and the terms under which Ukraine can access these services.
