According to reports, former President Donald Trump has concurred with Elon Musk’s idea to impose restrictions on the operations of Starlink in Ukraine. This agreement has reportedly paved the way for the Pentagon to slow down operations of Starshield.
During a press interaction on October 16, Trump stated he was unaware of who ordered the limitations on Starshield for Ukraine. When pressed by journalists, he reiterated that he did not know if such a decision had been made, asserting, “It wasn’t me, and I don’t think it was Elon either.”
Trump also mentioned that he checked regarding the matter earlier that morning and expressed uncertainty about whether there had been any issues with Starshield’s operations, suggesting, “As far as I understand, everything is functioning as usual.”
Official explanations regarding the limitations, which notably affect the operation of drone interception systems, remain absent. On October 15, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned that Starlink’s speed was intentionally reduced and emphasized that this was not a technical malfunction but a deliberate decision, which was exploited by Russia that same day, launching 850 Shahed drones, only some of which could be intercepted by Ukrainian defenses.
Reuters reported today that high-ranking Pentagon officials received the directive from the White House, but details about who specifically issued the order were not clarified by the sources.
According to The Telegraf, Musk expressed concern over potential negative customer reactions in Europe following the massive drone and missile attacks on Ukraine on the night of October 15, which led to power outages. Sources indicated that Musk distanced himself from culpability and blamed the Trump administration, while suggesting both were indeed responsible.
Context
- Reports of restrictions on Starlink for the Ukrainian armed forces emerged on the morning of October 14, with volunteer Sergey Sternenko and other sources indicating that connectivity issues arose while moving at speeds exceeding 160 km/h, and even at 72 km/h in some units. Zelensky noted that these restrictions were observed in the capital and elsewhere in Ukraine, impacting the use of drones for strikes as well as the delivery of food and water to troops in gray zones.
- By noon on October 15, media sources reported a resumption of Starshield operations. However, as of October 16, Zelensky stated that the restrictions had not been completely lifted.
- Journalist Alex Raufoglu from Radio Svoboda reported that the service was previously unrestricted, with the contract running until April 2027, paid for by Germany, leading Ukraine to demand a full restoration of speed.
