Recent efforts by Trump administration officials and their allies to restrict Ukraine's use of satellite systems have sparked a "blame-shifting" debate. Various parties have presented contradictory explanations for the sudden limitation of Kiev's ability to intercept Russian attacks.
Last week, restrictions on Starshield – which is the military-grade version of Starlink satellite internet service under SpaceX, and also a pillar for Ukraine's drone operations and communications – shocked Ukrainian military and government officials. Commanders reported that drones lost contact, and missions were disrupted as well. After several days of anxiety, U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Thursday that the service had been restored to full operational capacity.
However, Serhii "_Flash_" Besskrestnov (Serhii "_Flash" _Beskrestnov) , an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, stated on Friday that the restrictions are still in place.
He said, "We have not seen any signs that the restrictions on Starlink have been lifted. There are indeed individual cases where the operating speed of Starlink is slightly above the limit, but this is likely due to the algorithm of SpaceX or specific operating conditions, rather than the restrictions having been lifted."
A senior European official familiar with the local situation in Ukraine said on Thursday that the speed limit remains at around 100 miles per hour (160 kilometers per hour). The official stated that Ukraine has not yet received a clear official explanation as to who ordered the restrictions and what the reasons are. As he is not authorized to comment publicly, the official requested to remain anonymous.
This incident, along with the subsequent lack of accountability, has shaken the hardliners in Congress who support Russia and Ukraine's allies. Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal announced that a new investigation will be launched to examine how these technologies were used to slow down and affect Ukraine's defense systems.
Since last week, there has been persistent speculation from the outside world about who ordered the disruption of this satellite internet system created by Elon Musk. Ukraine has relied on this system for many years to defend itself against attacks from Moscow.
Until Thursday, Trump still insisted that it was not his order. Vice President JD Pence hinted at some coordination between the White House and Musk, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth denied any involvement by the government.
Elon Musk, one of the largest donors to the Republican Party and also a ally of Trump, stated that since Ukraine is using a military version of his technology, related questions should be directed to the Pentagon.
The following are the exact words of the parties involved:
U.S. President Donald Trump
Over the past week, Trump has repeatedly told reporters that he did not order restrictions on the satellite communication system used by the Ukrainian military, a system that had previously caused a decrease in the speed of Ukrainian drones.
This president also previously suspected that the interruption did not come from Musk; Musk was once his close advisor and a constant companion.
Trump said on Friday, "Well, I don't know if it's anyone, but it's not me, and I don't think it's Elon either. From what I understand, the situation is the same as it always has been."
On Thursday, Trump seemed to confirm that the service had been interrupted at one point and stated that it was now running again at its best speed. The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk has agreed to lift the restrictions; when asked whether he was the one who requested the removal of the cap, Trump did not respond directly.
“You know, it doesn’t make a difference whether I make the call or someone else does,” Trump told reporters. “I think, in the end, it was he who restored it.”
Vice President JD · Vance
On Thursday in Cincinnati, Vance was asked whether Musk was involved in the slowdown of the operations of Starlink and Starshield in Ukraine, and whether this warranted an investigation.
"I believe that, in essence, Elon Musk is running a private company," Vance told reporters. "I think he doesn't want to get involved in the war between the two countries, unless the U.S. government actually instructs him to do so, which is completely understandable."
Wans then said, "So I don't think this is about Elon. I believe, fundamentally, this is what the policy of the United States should be regarding the issues between Ukraine and Russia."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio
Rubio insists that the Trump administration, as well as the broader U.S. government, has nothing to do with the obstruction of Ukraine's access to key satellite data.
During a speech to reporters in India on Wednesday, Rubio stated for the third time in four days that the speed limitations on internet access in Ukraine were not ordered or instructed by Trump or anyone in his administration. He also hinted that the system owner, Elon Musk, might be involved.
“I can tell you with certainty that neither the President of the United States, nor anyone within our system, has ever requested any changes to that system. That’s what we’ve been saying repeatedly,” Rubio said. “The President has nothing to do with the decisions made by Starlink and Starshield; it’s a private company. The President does not operate that company, nor can he instruct that company to do anything.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
Hegseth echoed Rubio's statements, denying on Tuesday that the United States played any role in slowing down this satellite internet service, while also shifting the blame to Musk's company.
"We haven't withdrawn anything," Hergesseth said to reporters, and then added, "But in the end, we still have to comply with the terms of service."
He did not further specify which service terms Ukraine needed to comply with, but stated that “Starlink has the authority to make these decisions.”
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk
As the world's richest man and also the person in charge of the companies behind Starlink and Starshield, Musk blamed the Trump administration for the issues last week.
On October 14th, he wrote on X: “The Starshield system is owned by the U.S. government and under its control. Any speed or usage restrictions are determined by the U.S. military, and ultimately by the President of the United States.”
Musk added, " Starlink is a commercial service owned and controlled by SpaceX. The use of Starlink is limited to civilian or defensive activities and cannot be used for offensive military operations; it would be inappropriate for a commercial company to do so."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
This wartime president has been working hard to reverse the restrictions implemented last week without any warning.
Not long after the system issues emerged, Zelenskyy stated that EU countries did not have such restrictions, and that these restrictions were only applicable to Ukraine. "In other words, this is a planned action," he said.
Zelensky said during a conversation with a group of bipartisan U.S. lawmakers on Monday that in the briefing video he posted on social media, "We are still facing speed limitations with Starlink and Starshield services in different regions on the front line, and we still haven't received any explanations. There are only all sorts of strange claims."
Zelensky said in an interview on the program “Fox & Friends” on Wednesday that Ukraine's Starlink connections are still restricted, and Rubio told him that he would make efforts to “lift” this slowdown.
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Amiri reports from New York, while Arilova reports from Kyiv, Ukraine. Associated Press reporters Aamer Madhani, Seung Min Kim, Konstantin Toropin, Matthew Lee, and Lisa Mascaro also contributed to this report from Washington.
