The initiator of restricting Starshield operations in Ukraine was directly SpaceX owner Elon Musk, and US President Donald Trump gladly agreed to the idea, – British outlet The Telegraph reports, citing four informed sources.
According to journalists, it was Musk who suggested that Trump impose restrictions on the system, which the Ukrainian military uses, among other things, to fight Russian drones during attacks on Ukrainian cities. According to one of the sources, the American president agreed to this proposal, after which the Pentagon took appropriate measures.
At the same time, Musk denies his involvement in the restrictions in public comments. He stated that the decision was made by the American military and the president, but according to the publication's sources, this version is not true.
"He wrote on social media that he was innocent and that it was the doing of the US administration. In reality, both of them were involved," The Telegraph's source is quoted as saying. Other sources, including a high-ranking European official and two Ukrainian officials, confirmed this version of events.
The restrictions had a direct impact on the capabilities of Ukrainian air defense. As the publication explains, the speed of drones using Starshield was restricted to approximately 160 km/h. This significantly complicated the interception of Russian jet drones, which move about twice as fast.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, called the situation a "very dangerous and unpleasant surprise." According to him, the White House subsequently sent signals about restoring the system's capabilities, although the speed limit has not yet been returned to its original level.
Donald Trump claims that neither he nor Elon Musk restricted Ukraine's access to Starlink.
