White House orders US military to slow Starlink service for Ukraine

derstandard.at (German) —

The White House reportedly ordered the U.S. military to slow down SpaceX's Starshield service for Ukraine's military, according to a Reuters investigation. A government official disputes this claim. The directive to throttle Starlink, used by Ukraine for battlefield communication and drone operations, came from the White House. The Defense Department leadership received the notice, though two U.S. officials and one Western official provided no further details. The report, published Friday, October 16, 2026, follows ongoing tensions over Starlink's role in the conflict. A government representative has contradicted the Reuters findings, leaving the situation unresolved.


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