Elon Musk ordered restrictions on the military-grade Starlink satellite service used by Ukraine on Oct. 14, disrupting Ukrainian drone strikes and air defense operations, the Wall Street Journal reported on Oct. 20, citing US officials and people familiar with the matter.
The restrictions capped connectivity for terminals moving at around 160 kilometers per hour (100 mph) or faster, effectively grounding some Ukrainian strike and interceptor drones. The decision blindsided Kyiv and triggered confusion within the Trump administration.
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Speed cap disrupted Ukrainian drone missions
Ukraine relies on Starlink and its military-focused counterpart, Starshield, for battlefield communications, intelligence sharing, targeting and drone control.
Ukrainian defense sources said the restrictions were imposed overnight on Oct. 14 without advance warning, disrupting interceptor and medium-range strike operations, reconnaissance, logistics and communications relays.
The restrictions on military Starlink terminals forced Ukrainian units to investigate outages and activate backup communications.
The reported cap posed particular problems for drones that depend on satellite links to communicate with operators over long distances.
Most short-range first-person-view (FPV) drones use direct radio links and were largely unaffected. Stationary frontline terminals also generally remained outside the restrictions. The biggest risks concerned faster drones operating far beyond conventional radio range.
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Long-range strikes and air defense at risk
Ukraine has increasingly used satellite-connected drones to strike Russian military logistics and targets in occupied Ukrainian territory. The speed restriction threatened these missions because the aircraft can fly faster than the reported limit.
It also threatened Ukraine’s efforts to intercept Russia’s jet-powered attack drones, which can reach speeds of around 300 kph (190 mph). Ukrainian forces have developed faster interceptor drones to pursue these targets, with satellite connectivity helping operators control the aircraft.
Kyiv sought to have the speed cap removed, arguing that interceptor drones need reliable connectivity at speeds of up to 450 kph (280 mph) to engage faster Russian aerial threats.
Connectivity for Ukrainian forces operating on the move was partially restored on Oct. 15, according to Ukrainian defense sources, although officials did not clarify whether all speed limits had been lifted.
Musk, Trump gave conflicting accounts
Musk and US President Donald Trump discussed the decision in a phone call shortly after the restrictions became public, the WSJ reported.
Some sources told the newspaper they had also discussed the matter before the slowdown, while other US officials said Musk acted unilaterally.
Reuters had previously reported that the order to restrict Starshield came from inside the White House.
Musk said Starshield is owned and controlled by the US government and that any limits on its speed or use are decided by the US military and ultimately the president.
Trump denied responsibility for the restrictions last week, saying he did not believe either he or Musk was responsible for Ukraine losing access to the service.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Oct. 20 that Washington had not withdrawn Ukraine’s ability to access Starlink, suggesting the issue concerned the terms of service Kyiv needed to follow.
The distinction between Starlink and Starshield is important. Starlink is SpaceX’s commercial satellite internet service, while Starshield is a military-focused system controlled by the US government. Both have become important to Ukraine’s wartime communications.
Kyiv seeks answers as US ties deteriorate
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Oct. 20 that he had discussed Starlink and Starshield with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, adding that the situation needed to be resolved.
Zelensky traveled to Oslo on Tuesday as Kyiv sought to repair relations with Washington and secure continued military support.
The dispute comes amid worsening tensions between Ukraine and the Trump administration. Trump has urged Kyiv to stop striking Russian oil refineries, announced a deal to purchase Russian diesel and waived new sanctions on Moscow.
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