Former US President Donald Trump stated he was unaware of any order to restrict Starlink services in Ukraine, emphasizing that the service "remains as before". Speaking to reporters on 16/10, Trump responded to questions about whether Elon Musk had blocked the Ukrainian military's access to Starlink, saying, "I don't know if anyone issued that order, but it certainly wasn't me. I also don't think he did it."

Trump's comments followed reports from Ukrainian officials that some Starlink and Starshield terminals stopped functioning if they moved faster than 160 km/h, starting the night of 13/10. This disruption has impacted the military's combat operations. President Volodymyr Zelensky described the situation as "very unpleasant and dangerous," highlighting that the speed limit prevents Ukrainian forces from effectively countering enemy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

US President Donald Trump in Wasilla, Alaska, on 13/10. *AFP*.

Starlink is a civilian satellite internet network operated by billionaire Musk's company, SpaceX. SpaceX also offers Starshield, a version built on the Starlink platform, developed as a highly secure communication system for military use, serving the US Department of Defense. Regarding the reported limitations, Trump added, "I'm not sure if the service was ever interrupted, but I'm quite certain that everything remains as it was. I checked this morning, and they said the service is still operating as before."

Previously, billionaire Elon Musk asserted that any limitations on the speed or usage level of the Starshield system were decided by the military and the US President. However, three unnamed US officials told Reuters on 16/10 that the directive to limit Starshield "came from within the White House." These officials did not specify which individual in the White House made the decision or who was tasked with implementing the directive.

Ukraine relies heavily on satellite internet services like Starlink, as its telecommunications infrastructure has been severely damaged in the conflict. In 3/2025, billionaire Musk had warned that the entire Ukrainian front line would collapse if SpaceX disconnected Starlink.

By Nhu Tam (AFP, Reuters)