‘Betrayed’: Ukraine leader denounces Trump for siding with Russia amid row with Musk

Ukraine experienced a severe disruption to Starlink, the satellite network used by its forces. The slowdown reportedly cancelled missions and reduced the ability to guide weapons and defensive drones. It mattered because Ukraine relies on the service during its war with Russia.

The dispute followed criticism from Donald Trump and Elon Musk. They opposed Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil refineries. Musk said military Starlink limits were ultimately decided by the US military and the president. Ukraine’s former defence minister later said speeds were being restored.

Zelensky told Piers Morgan that Trump was not on the “right side of history.” He said Trump was siding with Russia and that Ukraine was losing a strong American partner. Zelensky answered “Really, yes” when asked whether he felt betrayed. He warned that civilians could die if full service remained unavailable.

Starlink is a high-speed satellite internet service operated by SpaceX, the company controlled by Elon Musk. It connects terminals to satellites rather than relying only on ground networks. In Ukraine, that connection has become part of military communications and operations.

The article says Ukrainian forces use Starlink to guide missiles and drones toward targets in areas occupied by Russian forces. They also use it to support defensive drones that intercept Russian attacks. The service therefore helps both offensive strikes and defensive activity, although Musk said commercial Starlink should be limited to civilian or defensive use.

Its importance became clear when speeds were restricted. Ukrainian forces cancelled missions after losing access to the service. Zelensky warned that people would die if attacks continued while Starlink was unavailable. The article does not quantify Ukraine’s full dependence, but it describes the network as essential to several battlefield functions.

The article does not provide a numerical measure of Ukraine’s dependence on Starlink. It gives no total number of terminals, missions, drones, or military units affected. However, its examples show that the network is deeply embedded in Ukraine’s wartime operations.

Ukrainian forces use Starlink to guide missiles and drones against targets in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine. They also use it to support defensive drones that intercept Russian attacks. When speeds were restricted, forces cancelled missions. An adviser said the restriction affected the military service package and limited speed to 100 miles per hour, or 160 kilometres per hour, while terminals were moving.

The immediate reality was operational disruption rather than a measured national shutdown. The article also links Starlink problems with a halt in some western intelligence warnings. Together, these developments raised concerns that decisions in Washington could reduce Ukraine’s military capacity and increase danger to civilians.

The article distinguishes between ordinary Starlink and StarShield, the military-grade service. Starlink is a commercial service owned and controlled by SpaceX. Musk said its use should be limited to civilian or defensive activities, not offensive military action.

StarShield is different. The article says it is controlled by the Pentagon and linked to the US government. Musk stated that limits on speed or usage were decided by the US military and, ultimately, POTUS, meaning the US president. This placed final responsibility for military-related restrictions with Donald Trump’s administration.

The result is shared but unequal control. SpaceX operates the commercial network, while US authorities control the military package and its restrictions. The article says the White House did not immediately comment. It also reports that Ukrainian officials suspected the throttling reflected the wider political dispute over Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil refineries.

The article identifies two connected risks. Restricted Starlink could reduce Ukraine’s ability to guide missiles and drones, communicate during operations, and support defensive drones. At the same time, western intelligence warnings about Russian attacks had slowed or stopped in some cases.

The article gives a direct example. Ukrainian forces cancelled missions after Starlink speeds fell. Zelensky also said some recent Russian strikes came with “no warning.” He warned Morgan that people would die if attacks continued while Starlink was unavailable. These details show how communications and intelligence affect both military action and civilian safety.

The immediate concern was weaker Ukrainian military capacity. The article does not predict a complete battlefield collapse or give a death toll. It says the developments fuelled concern about Washington restricting Ukraine while Trump pressed Zelensky to stop attacks on Russian oil refineries. Restoring services and warnings would therefore matter for operations and protection from incoming strikes.

Musk’s influence matters because SpaceX controls a satellite network that Ukraine uses in an active interstate war. The service is commercially owned, yet its availability affects military missions, drone operations, and warnings about attacks. That gives a private company and its owner unusual strategic importance.

The dispute showed the mechanism clearly. Ukrainian forces cancelled missions after Starlink speeds were restricted. Musk then said military limits were decided by the US military and ultimately the president. He also criticised Zelensky and supported calls for Ukraine to replace its leader. His public statements therefore connected technology access with political pressure.

The article presents this as a question of national dependence and decision-making. Starlink is commercial, but StarShield is controlled by the Pentagon. Washington’s choices could restrict Ukraine’s military capacity, while Musk’s relationship with Trump shaped the political dispute. The consequences extended beyond the battlefield because Zelensky warned civilians could die without full service.

Satellite internet is valuable in modern warfare because it can provide high-speed connectivity while forces operate across contested territory. The article shows that Ukraine uses it for missile and drone guidance, defensive drones, and military activity. Its mobility also matters because the reported restriction applied while terminals were moving.

If Starlink access were restricted, possible alternatives could include other satellite providers, military satellite systems, radio communications, fibre or mobile networks, and local wireless links. These are established categories of communications technology, but the article does not say Ukraine uses them or explain whether they could match Starlink’s speed, coverage, or battlefield role.

The reported immediate alternatives in the article are political and operational, not technical. Ukraine sought restored Starlink speeds, while a former defence minister thanked Musk after saying service was returning. The article also reports lost intelligence warnings. It does not identify a replacement network or predict whether another system could protect Ukrainian operations equally well.