Musk's Starlink slowdown disrupts Ukraine's military operations, Kyiv says

SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service reportedly experienced disruptions affecting Ukrainian military operations, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accusing Elon Musk of ordering an intentional slowdown, while US officials deny any involvement. The Wall Street Journal reported Musk directed the slowdown, alarming Kyiv and bewildering the Trump administration. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio both stated Washington issued no such order, with Rubio noting Starlink is a commercial service and Starshield is a separate US military system. Zelenskyy claimed the disruption, which occurred at night, impacted drone operations and battlefield coordination. Ukrainian official Mykhailo Fedorov later said Starlink connectivity was being restored, while calling for removal of Starshield speed limits, highlighting Ukraine's dependence on private satellite providers.