Elon Musk orders slowdown of Starlink military service in Ukraine

Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, has reportedly ordered a slowdown of the military-grade Starlink satellite service used by the Ukrainian military. According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, which cites US officials and internal insiders, the move has raised significant concerns about the reliability of essential communication infrastructure in the ongoing conflict. While the service remains active, the reported reduction in speed and capability marks a potentially critical shift in the technical support available to Ukrainian forces on the front lines. The decision to throttle the service reportedly followed a private discussion between Musk and former US President Donald Trump. While the specific nature of their conversation remains undisclosed, the timing has sparked debate over the influence of private entities and political figures on military operations. Donald Trump has publicly stated that neither he nor Musk should be held responsible for the connectivity issues facing Ukraine, while Musk has previously suggested that any operational restrictions on the satellite network are determined by the US military or the presidency rather than his own personal directives. In response to the developments, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has moved to address the situation through high-level diplomatic channels. Zelenskiy is reportedly seeking to mend relations and ensure stable communication lines by discussing the Starlink matter with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth clarified that while access to the Starlink network has not been completely withdrawn, the current issues are tied to specific terms of service. As of now, Musk, SpaceX, and the White House have declined to provide official comments on the reported slowdown.