Musk Ordered Starlink Slowdown for Ukraine Military, WSJ Reports
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, Elon Musk instructed a reduction in the military-grade version of SpaceX's Starlink satellite service, which is crucial for Ukraine. This service is vital for Ukraine's drone operations and battlefield communications, and the restrictions have hindered its air defense and offensive missions against Russia. The report indicates that Musk and US President Donald Trump discussed the Starlink situation in a phone call shortly after the news of the slowdown emerged, while Trump was in the midst of his campaign last week. Previously, Musk had claimed that any limitations on the satellite system's speed or usage were determined by Trump or the US military. Neither Musk, SpaceX, nor the White House responded to requests for comments, and Reuters could not immediately confirm the details.
Key facts
- Elon Musk ordered a slowdown of a military-grade Starlink service used by Ukraine, per The Wall Street Journal
- The report, published Tuesday, cited US officials and people familiar with the matter
- Ukraine relies on Starlink for battlefield communications and drone operations
- The restriction hampered Ukrainian attack and air defence drone missions against Russia
- Musk and Donald Trump discussed the decision in a call after the slowdown became public
- The two had also discussed the matter before the decision to throttle Starlink
- Musk previously said limits on Starlink speed or use were decided by Trump or the US military
- Musk, SpaceX and the White House did not immediately respond to comment requests; Reuters could not immediately verify the report
Entities
Artists
- Elon Musk
- Donald Trump
Institutions
- SpaceX
- Starlink
- The Wall Street Journal
- Reuters
- White House
- US military
- CNBC
Locations
- Ukraine
- Russia
- United States
Sources
- Quartz —
- SCMP Culture —
- Quartz —