Elon Musk, the CEO and founder of SpaceX, ordered a slowdown of the military-grade version of the Starlink satellite network, known as Starsheild, in Ukraine. This decision restricted the country's use of the communications network, which enables Ukraine to fend off deadly Russian aerial assaults.
Ukrainian officials stated that the reduction in speeds effectively disabled capabilities necessary to stave off Russian attacks. The move was authorized by Musk last week, according to US officials and people familiar with the matter.
The restrictions follow recent criticisms of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by both Musk and Donald Trump. President Zelenskyy has also flagged disruptions in U.S. intelligence sharing.
While Musk has been discussing Ukraine with Donald Trump, Trump has denied ordering the restrictions on the satellite system.