SpaceX CEO Elon Musk reportedly ordered a slowdown of Starlink satellite internet services in Ukraine last week, impacting the Ukrainian military's ability to conduct long-range drone strikes. The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk capped hardware connection speeds, citing U.S. officials and people familiar with the matter. Ukrainian officials reported that the restrictions led to several failed combat missions and rendered interceptor drones ineffective.
The decision followed discussions between Musk and Donald Trump, according to the report. Sources stated that the two spoke by phone after the service disruption became public and had also discussed the matter prior to the restriction. Both Musk and Trump have expressed criticism of Ukrainian attacks on Russian diesel refineries. Musk previously stated that he did not want SpaceX to be seen as profiting from the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
U.S. government officials have offered varying accounts of who authorized the limitations. Musk wrote on the social media platform X that "Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government" and that usage limits are determined by the military and the president. However, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on Tuesday, October 20, that the Pentagon had not issued any directives to pull back service. Hegseth suggested the issue involved SpaceX's corporate terms of service, which he said the company has the option to enforce.
For the Ukrainian soldier on the battlefield or drone operators in Kyiv, the slowdown meant a loss of hardware connectivity, leading to the failure of missions intended to disrupt Russian logistics. These service changes were noticed last week as offensive and interceptor drones became ineffective. The scale of the disruption involves a network of satellite terminals that Ukraine relies on for long-range strikes and battlefield communication, though the specific number of terminals affected or the exact dollar value of the service cap was not disclosed in the reports.
The situation highlights potential friction between private corporate terms of service and U.S. government defense policy. Zelensky reported on Tuesday, October 20, that access to some restricted intelligence had resumed. Special envoy Steve Witkoff was scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, October 20, while Zelensky expects to speak with Secretary of State Marco Rubio within 48 hours.