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Elon Musk reportedly restricted Starlink satellite speeds in Ukraine
1 min readCovered by 3 outlets
AI Summary
Reports suggest Elon Musk restricted Starlink speeds in Ukraine, impacting drone operations and raising questions about the power held by private tech owners over national security.
Elon Musk allegedly ordered a slowdown of Starlink satellite services in Ukraine, according to reports from the Wall Street Journal and Deutsche Welle, affecting the country's drone capabilities.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk reportedly capped the speeds of a military-grade version of the Starlink satellite network used by Ukraine. According to Deutsche Welle, citing a Wall Street Journal report, the restrictions were imposed last week and significantly impacted Kyiv's ability to operate offensive and interceptor drones. The slowdown effectively rendered some of this hardware useless for battlefield communications and defense missions against Russia.
The decision has raised questions regarding whether Musk acted alone or under government direction. While Musk has claimed that any usage limits were determined by the U.S. military or the president, some U.S. officials believe he acted unilaterally. However, one source told the Journal that Musk spoke with several senior administration officials, including President Donald Trump, before the speed caps were implemented.
CleanTechnica reported that the internet access removal has drawn sharp criticism from Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman, who argued that control over vital communications for foreign policy should not be left to private individuals. Krugman suggested that President Trump might have influenced the decision, though Deutsche Welle noted that some officials believe Trump did not specifically order the move as retribution.
The reports follow recent tensions over Ukrainian attacks on Russian diesel refineries. Both Musk and Trump have expressed dissatisfaction with these strikes, which the president has blamed for rising energy prices. CBS News reported that the situation has sparked broader concerns regarding the accountability of technology owners who control critical infrastructure.
Background
Ukraine relies on SpaceX's Starlink network for essential battlefield communication and the operation of drone technology during its ongoing conflict with Russia.
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