WSJ: Musk Personally Ordered Starlink Slowdown for Ukraine’s Military

Elon Musk ordered the speed of the military version of Starlink in Ukraine to be reduced, making some Ukrainian strike drones and interceptor drones practically unusable, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing sources, as relayed by Evropeiska Pravda.

The paper notes that both Musk and Trump have voiced displeasure with Ukraine over its strikes on Russian oil refineries in recent weeks, which the president blames for high energy prices. According to the sources, last week Musk limited the speed at which Ukrainian equipment could connect to the satellite network.

Who gave the order?

Two sources said Musk and Trump discussed the Starlink decision in a phone call soon after news of the speed cap became public. One source also claimed they had discussed the matter before the decision was made.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s public complaints — that Ukrainians could die if unrestricted service is not restored — led to widespread confusion over who ordered the slowdown and to an informal White House inquiry. Amid the scandal, SpaceX representatives contacted White House colleagues to reach a shared understanding and a joint statement that the company and the Trump administration had coordinated before Musk gave the order.

Musk and Trump respond

Hours after the news emerged, Musk wrote on X: “Any limits on speed or use are decided by the US military and ultimately the President of the United States.” On Monday Trump told reporters he did not know who was responsible for the Starlink slowdown, “but I would like to find out”.

Some US officials claim Musk acted unilaterally and that Trump did not specifically order any retaliatory measures against Ukraine. A source familiar with the situation, however, said Musk spoke with several administration officials, including Trump, before imposing the new cap, which Ukrainian officials say allowed Russian missiles to bypass their air defences.