Musk ordered Starlink slowdown, hindering Ukraine’s drone operations

Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, ordered a slowdown of the Starlink satellite system in Ukraine, severely hindering the country’s drones used to defend against Russian aerial assaults, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. This decision directly impacted Ukraine’s defensive and offensive missions, according to unnamed American officials and other sources cited by the Journal.The move has heightened tensions in relations between Ukraine and the United States. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused US President Donald Trump of attempting to coerce his country into capitulating to Russia during an interview with Bloomberg on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. However, Trump stated he or Musk were not responsible for the Starlink restrictions. Musk, conversely, publicly stated that any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately the US President.SpaceX imposed limits on some Starlink services in Ukraine without warning on October 13. As a result, Ukrainian officials stated on October 16, 2026, that they were unable to use their interceptors against Russian drone attacks. The Jerusalem Post reported on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, that the speed restrictions placed on the military-grade version of Starlink used by Ukrainian forces were at Musk’s command. Forbes reported on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, that restrictions on Ukraine’s military Starlink assets began after October 14, when the Trump administration urged Ukraine to cease attacks on Russia’s oil infrastructure.According to The Wall Street Journal, Musk discussed the Starlink decision with US President Donald Trump after the shortfall became publicly known. A person familiar with the matter indicated that Musk had communicated with administration officials about the Starlink slowdown before it went into effect. However, some US officials stated that Musk acted without any order from Trump.US President Donald Trump has consistently criticized Ukraine’s attacks on Russian refineries. On October 10, 2026, he urged Zelenskyy not to strike Russian refineries, warning it would create a global problem. Trump criticized Zelenskyy for renewed attacks on Russian oil refineries, calling them ‘outrageous’ on October 16, 2026. Musk publicly agreed with Trump’s criticism, stating that Zelenskyy had ‘gone too far’.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused US President Donald Trump of trying to force his country to surrender to Russia in an interview with Bloomberg on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. However, at a press conference in Oslo on the same day, Zelenskyy appeared more positive about US relations after meeting with US special envoy Steve Witkoff. He stated they discussed intelligence sharing and access to Starlink. Zelenskyy also announced that US intelligence sharing with Ukraine had resumed after his meeting with Witkoff.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, that he had a 45-minute conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Rubio clarified to journalists that there was no deliberate political directive to harm Ukraine. Zelenskyy informed that he discussed ballistic missile interceptors, early warning of Russian attacks, and the status of Starlink and Starshield satellite services with Rubio.Denys Sienik, Ukraine’s top diplomat in Washington, told The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, that Ukraine is awaiting an official response from contacts with the Pentagon and SpaceX at the leadership level to understand what happened and whether the connection has been or will be restored. US special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to travel to Russia for trilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.