Musk: Ukraine’s elites "got rich" on international aid, while ordinary people’s children "die in the trenches"
American billionaire and SpaceX owner Elon Musk claimed that Ukraine’s elite had "grown very rich" from international aid and that some US taxpayers’ money was allegedly being channelled back through "several laundries" to fund political campaigns in the US.
He wrote this on his social media platform X, Censor.NET reports.
Musk’s accusations
He alleged that there was an enormous divergence between the interests of Ukraine’s elite and its people.
"What’s actually going on in Ukraine is that there is a massive incentive difference between the elites and the people. The former have grown very rich off the hundreds of billions flowing to Ukraine, while the latter’s children are conscripted to die in trenches," he wrote.
"And some of that US taxpayer money comes back through multiple laundry machines to fund political campaigns in America, which is why you see some politicians caring more about Ukraine than America!" Musk added.
He provided no evidence for these claims in his post.
Restrictions on Starlink operations in Ukraine
- On October 14, volunteer and former adviser to the defence minister Serhii Sternenko said SpaceX had restricted the operation of Starlink terminals used by Ukrainian troops overnight. According to him, this had "disrupted a number of important missions". Data transmission restrictions were imposed depending on the speed of UAVs using Starlink.
- Serhii Beskrestnov (Flash) later confirmed the information. According to him, the restrictions could also complicate the use of interceptor drones against jet-powered Shaheds.
- Units of the Air Assault Forces’ 7th Corps also said they had begun recording Starlink connectivity problems on the Huliaipole axis overnight. The problems concerned the Starshield package — the so-called military package, which previously had no data transmission speed restrictions.
- Former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov later said network operations were being restored at speeds of up to 160 km/h.
- Meanwhile, Elon Musk said he does not determine the restrictions on Starshield used by Ukraine. The system is controlled by the US government, rather than SpaceX.
- According to Reuters, the White House ordered the restrictions on Starshield for Ukraine.
- On October 16, US President Trump said Washington was not involved in slowing down the "military package" of Starlink satellite communications (Starshield) used by Ukrainian troops.
- On October 19, Zelenskyy reported that Ukrainian military assets equipped with Starlink stopped functioning at speeds of 130–161 km/h on various sections of the front.
- Hegseth said the Pentagon had issued no orders to restrict Starshield.
- On 22 October, Trump declined to say whether he had called SpaceX owner Elon Musk over speed restrictions on the military version of Starlink in Ukraine.
- According to Politico, as of Friday morning, 23 October, Ukrainian forces were still facing Starlink speed restrictions, despite Trump’s announcement that the services had been restored to full operation.
