- Ukrainian forces faced reported Starlink disruptions, sparking scrutiny.
- President Zelenskyy accused Musk of restricting vital satellite internet access.
- US officials denied ordering any Starlink service slowdown for Ukraine.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX has come under scrutiny over reported disruptions to Starlink satellite internet services used by Ukrainian forces, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accusing the company of restricting access during the war against Russia.
A report by The Wall Street Journal, citing officials familiar with the matter, said Musk had directed an intentional slowdown of Ukraine’s military Starlink network. The reported move triggered concern in Kyiv and left the Donald Trump administration bewildered, according to the report.
However, senior US officials have denied that Washington ordered any slowdown. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the US military had not directed a reduction in satellite services, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected claims that the White House was responsible for the reported disruption.
US Says It Did Not Order Starlink Slowdown
Speaking to reporters, Hegseth said the US military had not instructed SpaceX to make changes to the satellite internet 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 added that any operational changes or adjustments to the service would fall within the satellite provider’s contractual terms.
“There are terms of service that ultimately need to be complied with,” Hegseth said, adding that Starlink had the option to make such decisions.
Rubio Distinguishes Starlink From Military-Grade Starshield
Rubio also rejected allegations that Washington had ordered Starlink’s internet speed to be reduced. He emphasised that Starlink is a commercial service operated by SpaceX, while Starshield is a separate military-grade system used 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,” Rubio said.
He also questioned Zelenskyy’s understanding of the issue, maintaining that no one in Washington had ordered a slowdown. Rubio said he understood that the reported disruption had been resolved.
“In the United States, nobody ordered that Starlink’s speed be slowed down,” he said, adding that the matter concerned Starlink rather than Starshield, which operates under a contract with the US military.
Rubio said Ukraine was seeking access to Starshield to conduct operations inside Russia but maintained that the reported Starlink disruption had no connection to 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,” he said.
Rubio also dismissed claims that Washington had deliberately restricted internet access to prevent certain Ukrainian drones from operating inside Russia.
“No one at the White House ordered the slowdown of the internet so certain drones couldn’t use it,” he added.
Zelenskyy Says Connectivity Disruptions Affected Military Operations
The controversy follows reports of satellite connectivity disruptions that 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.
The competing accounts have put the spotlight on Starlink’s role in Ukraine’s war effort and the implications of reported connectivity problems for forces relying on the satellite network. While US officials have denied ordering any slowdown, questions remain over the reported disruption and the decisions behind it.
