Abstract:
U.S. President Trump said on Friday local time that the current administration has not shut down the satellite system owned by Elon Musk and used by Ukraine to fight Russia. Earlier this week, the satellite system was restricted, disrupting the Ukrainian military's ability to intercept Russian attack drones for 24 hours.
This situation has raised concerns that the Trump administration and even Musk may be retaliating against Ukraine for its attack on Russian refineries and President Zelensky's criticism of Trump's diesel deal with Russia.
Trump stated: "I just verified this morning that it was not us." Trump told reporters, "I don't know if it was someone else, but it was definitely not me, and I don't think it was Elon."
Previous reports stated that it was the White House that issued the order to limit the speed of the satellite system. Trump responded to the report.
The other side’s position: Ukrainian officials are highly suspicious of Trump’s rhetoric. They believe that someone within the U.S. government was involved in the speed-limiting operation of the satellite system. A Ukrainian official said: "Our personnel in contact with SpaceX reported that the White House was involved in the decision."
The Ukrainian military relies on this satellite communication system to control reconnaissance drones and intercept drones. Once Starlink cannot operate at full capacity, Ukraine's ability to collect intelligence, control and intercept drones, and carry out long-range strikes against Russia will be hindered.
Ukraine mainly uses two satellite systems: The first is SpaceX’s Starlink, which is used for communications, ground force coordination, logistics support and defensive drones, which is equipment used to shoot down incoming drones. The second set is Starshield, which is controlled by the US government and used for offensive military operations. Ukraine said both systems were subject to usage restrictions.
Musk posted on the X platform on Wednesday suggesting that the US government was involved in the restricted operation of the Star Shield system. He wrote: "The Star Shield system is owned and controlled by the U.S. government. Any speed limits or usage restrictions are determined by the U.S. military, and the final decision rests with the President of the United States."
A few days before this system restriction, conflicts broke out between the United States and Ukraine. The trigger was Trump's plan to lift sanctions on Russian oil sales. Zelensky criticized the move, and Trump later publicly called on Ukraine to elect a new president.
Comments