Previously, the CEO of SpaceX and the White House chief had been shifting blame onto each other, according to the WSJ.
What is known about Musk’s decision?
The publication reports that the restrictions were imposed due to the American billionaire and the president’s shared dissatisfaction with the Defense Forces’ strikes on Russian oil refineries. Recall that Donald Trump cited Ukrainian attacks on enemy oil refineries as the reason for rising fuel prices on the domestic market ahead of the midterm elections. At the same time, experts note that the price spike is a consequence of the conflict involving the U.S. and Israel against Iran, which has blocked shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
During the scandal, SpaceX representatives spoke with colleagues at the White House to coordinate a shared understanding of the situation and future public statements. According to sources interviewed by the publication, the company and the presidential administration coordinated their communications after Musk issued the relevant directive.
Some U.S. officials claim that the SpaceX CEO acted on his own, and that the U.S. president did not order any measures against Ukraine. At the same time, another source noted that before imposing the speed limit, Musk spoke with several high-ranking administration officials, including Trump.
The artificially imposed limits prevented the terminals from functioning properly on high-speed moving targets, which significantly hampered the operation of interceptor drones during the shooting down of enemy missiles and jet-powered drones.
Earlier, The Telegraph reported that the politician and billionaire acted in a coordinated manner amid disputes with Ukrainian leadership over strikes on Russian oil refineries. At the same time, officials in Kyiv noted that both sides were merely shifting the blame and could not clearly explain what was happening with Starlink’s speed.