Elon Musk Restricts Internet in Ukraine, Grounding Drones

The decision to slow Starlink satellite internet, a backbone of Ukraine’s military communications, reportedly came directly from Elon Musk. The move made Ukrainian equipment harder to operate and was also discussed with US President Donald Trump, CNBC Indonesia reported on Wednesday (21 October 2026).

According to The Wall Street Journal, Musk ordered limits on the connection speeds of Starlink devices used in Ukraine. As a result, some drone-control systems dependent on the network became almost unusable. The move came shortly after Musk and Trump had both criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Sources familiar with the matter said Musk discussed the restrictions with senior US government officials, including Trump. But after the issue became public, Trump said he did not know who had ordered them and wanted to find out.

“But I’ll find out,” Trump said.

Zelenskyy’s public complaints about his country’s weakening defences prompted an informal inquiry within the White House.

Musk later said that Starshield, Starlink’s military version, is wholly owned and controlled by the US government, and that any restrictions are determined by the US military and the President. The statement came after the restrictions became widely known, raising questions about who actually controls the network used on the Russia-Ukraine battlefield.

The White House and SpaceX representatives have not issued an official response to the report.