Elon Musk reportedly ordered the slowdown of a military-grade version of Starlink, a move that plunged Ukraine into panic and left the country vulnerable to Russian attacks, according to US officials.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week that he was "betrayed" by US President Donald Trump after Ukraine's defences against Russia were weakened following the slowdown of Starlink services.
Zelensky claims deliberate blocking
The Ukrainian leader claimed that Mr Trump and ally Elon Musk deliberately blocked his country's access to Starlink overnight on October 14 after the military faced slowdowns in speed. Mr Zelensky said that his people could die if the unrestricted service was not restored.
The satellite internet service is operated by SpaceX, Mr Musk's aerospace company. It provides high-speed broadband globally and is used by Ukraine for military communications and drone operations.
White House investigation and confusion
An informal investigation inside the White House was conducted and there was confusion about who ordered the slowdown. It has now been revealed that Mr Musk capped the speeds at which Ukrainian hardware could stay connected to the satellite-based network, according to reports by the Wall Street Journal.
This left some offensive drones and interceptor drones practically useless.
The incident followed comments by the Trump administration and Mr Musk that were considered hostile to Ukraine - Kyiv immediately suspected the order came either from the president or Mr Musk.
Growing animosity and discussions
Mr Trump and Mr Musk's animosity toward the Ukrainian leader has grown in recent weeks, as the president looks to lower diesel prices ahead of November's midterm elections. He pointed the finger at Ukraine, saying that its attack on Russia's energy facilities was responsible for the elevated prices.
It is understood that the two powerful Americans discussed the Starlink decision in a call shortly after the slowdown was made public, two of the sources said. One source also claimed the pair discussed the matter prior to the decision to throttle Starlink.
SpaceX representatives called the White House seeking a unified understanding and subsequent message that the company and Trump administration coordinated ahead of Mr Musk's directive, the sources said.
Musk's response and official claims
Mr Musk took to X, which he also owns, and said, "Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS." Mr Trump told reporters that he did not know who was responsible for the Starlink slowdown. He added that he "would like to find out."
Some US officials claim that Mr Musk acted unilaterally and that the US president did not specifically order any retribution against Ukraine.
One person familiar with the matter said Mr Musk talked to multiple senior administration officials, including Mr Trump, before imposing the new speed cap.
