Ukraine: Donald Trump says Elon Musk has restored Starlink, Kyiv says the restrictions remain

Mexico, October 23, 2026. The Mexican press only addresses the Starlink file through an AFP dispatch, identical to the one reproduced by El Norte and Reforma, two titles from the same press group. The text, dated October 22, 2026, at 18:54, from Washington, is only a few lines long and contains no local analysis.

The central fact is a statement: US President Donald Trump "affirmed today that Elon Musk reactivated his Starlink satellite internet network in Ukraine". The dispatch describes this network as "crucial in the war against Russia". It does not quote Trump verbatim or provide technical details on what has been restored.

The other side of the story only appears through a subordinate clause: Trump's statement comes "after Kiev reported limitations in its capacity to connect to the system". In other words, the two articles first present the White House version and only mention in the background the restrictions denounced by Ukraine. They do not indicate that Volodymyr Zelensky said, on the same day, that the service speed had not been restored, or that Ukrainian officials maintain that the limits persist.

The file, as documented in the briefing, is nevertheless broader: Kiev reproaches SpaceX for having bridled Starshield, the military version of the service, by limiting the speed of terminals on moving vehicles, to the detriment of Ukrainian interceptor drones. Elon Musk and the White House blame each other for this decision, and lawmakers from both parties are calling for a congressional investigation, less than two weeks before the midterm elections. None of this is reported by the Mexican articles in the pool.

The Mexican coverage therefore remains that of a wire story: it relays the American announcement, illustrated with an AP photo of Trump and Musk taken on October 8, 2026, without commentary from Mexican diplomacy, without voices from experts in the country, and without an angle on the dependence of armies on a private operator. The lens that emerges is that of an episode in relations between Washington, Elon Musk, and Kiev, presented as a matter of decision-making in Washington rather than as a battlefield issue.

Warsaw, October 23, 2026. The Polish press is treating the Starlink episode less as an American quarrel than as proof of a dangerous dependence. Rzeczpospolita reports that, according to the Wall Street Journal, Donald Trump called Elon Musk to ask him to lift the limits imposed on Starshield, the military version of the network used by the Ukrainian army. According to American officials cited by the newspaper, these restrictions had been decided on the order of the boss of SpaceX.

RMF24 specifies the nature of the restriction: the service stopped working beyond 160 km/h (approximately 100 miles per hour), which reduced the effectiveness of some of the Ukrainian offensive and interceptor drones in the face of Russian attacks. Expert Michael Kofman, from the Carnegie Endowment, estimates that lifting these restrictions could significantly increase the Ukrainian strike capabilities in depth. The White House and SpaceX are giving opposing versions: the former claims that Trump did not ask to slow down the service and was unaware of who made the decision.

Questioned before leaving for a meeting in Iowa, Trump refused to say whether he had called Musk: "It doesn't matter, the important thing is that he restored it," he said, judging their relations to be excellent. Polish articles emphasize that Ukrainian officials consider the functionality not to be fully restored, even if the throughput exceeds that of the limitation period.

Polish diplomacy is getting involved: Radosław Sikorski relayed a message from journalist Michael Weiss on X and ironized: "Let's appreciate Elon Musk's courage," judging the strategy of a billionaire who attacks the European Union while hoping for regulatory favors and frequencies to be "audacious."

The main emphasis, however, is on the European alternative. On October 22, the Finnish company ICEYE and Nokia signed a letter of intent with the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense to build a sovereign satellite communication system. Rzeczpospolita insists: the states that deploy it will not be simple clients but owners of the satellites, the ground segment, and the terminals, with full control. The newspaper recalls that the Russian strikes the previous weekend would have been facilitated by the disruptions to Starlink, the origin of which is not entirely elucidated.

Riga, October 23, 2026. The Latvian press, as reported by Jauns, TVNET, and BNN, is following the Starlink case from the perspective of the battlefield: what, concretely, does the limit imposed on Starshield change for Ukrainian drones?

On Thursday, October 22, Donald Trump stated that Elon Musk had restored everything. When asked about a call to the SpaceX boss, he replied, "Nevēlos to komentēt," or "I don't want to comment," adding that the essential thing was that Musk "had restored everything." Jauns and TVNET recall that, according to the Wall Street Journal, Trump had called Musk on Wednesday to ask him to lift the Starshield restrictions, the military version of Starlink.

The Latvian media are emphasizing Kiev's denial. Volodymyr Zelensky told CNN that military communications remained limited. He described the arithmetic of interceptions: if an Iranian drone flies at 450 or 500 km/h and the speed is limited to 70 or 100 at night, "we can't intercept anything." A source cited by CNN judges the available speed to be clearly insufficient to intercept jet-powered drones. On Friday, a Ukrainian Defense Ministry official confirmed to TVNET that there had been signal losses that morning and no confirmation of the lifting of restrictions.

The Latvian account also reconstructs the chronology: the first malfunctions date back to the night of October 14, with a 160 km/h ceiling that cuts off the connection of any faster vehicle. The Telegraph and the Wall Street Journal claim that Musk himself proposed the measure and discussed it with the Pentagon, while the White House says it gave no instructions. On October 16, Trump said, "it wasn't me, I don't think it was Elon."

BNN, citing the BBC, puts the episode into the American context: Trump's pressure on Kiev to stop striking Russian refineries, easing of certain sanctions against Russia, purchase of Russian diesel, and a Republican senator's warning against dependence on Musk, ahead of the early November midterm elections. TVNET sees it mainly as a measure of the billionaire's influence, once again close to the president.

For a Baltic country neighboring Russia and attentive to drones, the lesson is one of vulnerability: an army whose interceptors depend on the goodwill of a private company and a political decision in Washington.

Ottawa, October 23, 2026. The Canadian press is treating the Starshield affair as a puzzle between allies, where each party is passing the buck. The Globe and Mail talks about a "blame game": the restrictions imposed on Starshield, the military version of Starlink and "backbone" of Ukrainian drone operations and communications, have alarmed the Ukrainian army and government, with commanders reporting lost drones and disrupted missions. The newspaper notes that the Trump administration is sending contradictory messages about the origin of this sudden restriction.

The National Post recalls the sequence of events. On Thursday, October 22, Donald Trump stated that access was "back" after a Wall Street Journal report claimed he had asked Elon Musk to restore the service. When asked about a potential call, the president refused to comment: "doesn't make any difference". He concluded that Musk had "taken care of it". The newspaper specifies that Musk claimed any speed or usage limit was "decided by the US military and, ultimately, by the president", while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth assured on Tuesday that the Pentagon had not ordered any changes and that Trump also said he had nothing to do with it.

Both media outlets highlight the denial from the field. On Friday, October 23, Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov, an advisor to Volodymyr Zelensky, wrote that he had "no indication" of the restrictions being lifted, with cases of slightly higher speeds being due to SpaceX's algorithm. A high-ranking European official cited by the Globe and Mail indicates that the speed limit remains set at around 160 km/h, and that Kiev has received no official explanation about the author or motivation behind the decision.

The diplomatic context takes center stage. The National Post notes that relations between Washington and Kiev have been strained in recent days, with Trump calling for Zelensky's replacement after his criticism of a US agreement allowing more Russian diesel to enter global markets. The Globe also cites Marc DeVore, from Chatham House, who says that if the information is confirmed, the measure could be an attempt by Washington to dissuade Kiev from striking Russian energy installations.

The articles provided do not discuss Ottawa's position or that of Congress: the focus remains on the disagreement between the presidential statement and Ukrainian findings.

Berlin, October 23, 2026. Handelsblatt and Tagesschau report on Donald Trump's claim that Elon Musk has restored Ukrainian access to Starlink, but emphasize the lack of confirmation from the Ukrainian side. Tagesschau headlines with Trump's request to Musk to lift the "Drosselung" (throttling) and notes that "viele Fragen bleiben offen" (many questions remain open).

According to the public channel, Starshield, the military variant of Starlink, is indeed "back" according to the American president. When asked about a possible call to Musk, Trump replied, "Ich möchte nichts dazu sagen, ob ich angerufen habe" (I don't want to say whether I called him), adding that "unterm Strich" (in the end) Musk had turned it back on. Tagesschau specifies that there is no official confirmation from Kiev at this stage.

The account is based on the Wall Street Journal, which, citing American officials, claims that Musk had ordered the restriction of Starshield, making some Ukrainian drones unusable, and that Trump had subsequently ordered him to lift it. A Ukrainian official quoted by The Kyiv Independent calls these claims "allesamt falsch" (completely false): the 161 kilometers per hour speed limit for drone operation remains in effect.

Handelsblatt puts the episode in a broader context of tensions. American-Ukrainian relations have deteriorated significantly in recent weeks, with Volodymyr Zelensky stating that Trump is on the "wrong side of history" after an agreement on diesel with Vladimir Putin and the lifting of sanctions against Russia. In an interview with CNN, Zelensky warns against new concessions: lifting sanctions would "make Putin stronger," while assuring that there is "nothing personal" with Trump.

In Kiev, Zelensky regrets that the service speed has not been restored, hopes to speak with the American Secretary of State in the coming days, and says he is ready for peace talks under American mediation, with the goal of forcing Russia to end the war.

The two media outlets therefore treat Starlink less as a technical issue than as an indicator of Washington's reliability towards Ukraine. The American congressional aspect and European dependence on SpaceX do not appear in the covered excerpts.

Helsinki, October 23, 2026. The Finnish press is addressing the Starlink issue through the visit of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo to Kiev. On Thursday evening, during a joint press conference at the presidential palace, Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the service speed had not been restored, and said he hopes to discuss the matter soon with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (MTV Uutiset).

Ilta-Sanomat and MTV are reporting the Wall Street Journal's version: Donald Trump allegedly called Elon Musk to ask him to lift the restrictions on Starshield, the military version of Starlink. Trump refused to say if he had made the call, but claimed that Musk had "restored" Ukraine's access. Ilta-Sanomat dates the call to Wednesday, while MTV says it was on Thursday: the articles do not agree on this point. According to the newspaper, the US President said he was frustrated that the speed remains capped at around 160 km/h.

The military stakes are being highlighted. The 160 km/h cap affects moving vehicles: Ilta-Sanomat explains that Ukraine pilots its drones using these connections, and Zelensky mentions effects on frontline logistics, medium-range strikes, and drone defense. MTV recalls that Ukrainian drones began falling from the sky after mid-October.

YLE is giving a voice to Kiev's objections. Citing the Kyiv Independent, it reports that an anonymous Ukrainian official believes that "nothing has changed anywhere" and that the 160 km/h limit is disrupting strikes and fast drone interception. This version contradicts the Wall Street Journal's, which stated that the system was functioning "more normally" on Thursday; some officials say it is now faster than before, although not back to its full level.

The question of responsibility remains. Ilta-Sanomat notes that, according to Wall Street Journal sources, Musk is behind the restrictions, which he denies, referring to the US military and the President. MTV mentions the hypothesis of a retaliation by Trump after Ukrainian strikes on the Russian oil industry, and reports that Reuters, citing sources, spoke of an order from the White House. Ilta-Sanomat concludes that the current state of the service in Ukraine is not known with certainty.

Paris, October 23, 2026. In the French press, the Starlink affair is first and foremost a public disagreement between Washington and Kiev over a fact that each presents in its own way. On Thursday, October 22, Donald Trump stated that Elon Musk had relaunched the satellite network, which is essential to Ukrainian forces, after Kiev reported connection limitations. Sud Ouest quotes his statement: "I don't want to comment on whether I called or someone else called - it doesn't change anything. What matters is that he relaunched it."

Le Monde reports, citing the Wall Street Journal, that according to American officials, the Republican president had called Elon Musk on Wednesday, October 21, to ask him to lift the restrictions on the system. The newspaper recalls that SpaceX deploys Starlink and its military variant Starshield, on which Ukraine's ability to communicate in the war against Russia depends.

The denial came the very next day. On Friday, October 23, Kiev stated that restrictions were still affecting Starshield, despite the previous day's announcement that Elon Musk had restored access to the network for Ukrainian forces. Sud Ouest headlines these restrictions as "still observed" and thus pits the American presidential statement against the Ukrainian version, without taking sides.

The issue is part of a broader war narrative. Le Monde's live feed reports that Russia launched 176 drones against Ukraine on the night of Thursday to Friday, including 92 Shahed jet-powered drones, and that a DTEK thermal power plant stopped producing electricity after a massive attack. The 20 Minutes live feed mentions the exchange of 270 prisoners of war from each side on Friday and direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations, under American mediation, "planned" for Abu Dhabi in November.

The French account thus contrasts an American presidential promise, a contested reality on the ground by Kiev, and a context of daily strikes, without detailing the technical effects of the restrictions or the responsibilities of SpaceX or the White House.

Budapest, October 23, 2026. Hungarian media outlets 444 and HVG initially treated the matter as a denial on the ground: despite Donald Trump's claims that Elon Musk has restored access, the connection remains unstable on the Ukrainian side.

444 reports, according to the BBC, that sources from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense say that drones lose contact as soon as they reach 161 km/h, which hinders military operations. The army continuously checks the functioning of Starlink and its military version, Starshield, but "there is currently no evidence" of a lifting of restrictions. The media outlet recalls that the network, consisting of approximately ten thousand satellites, ensures connection on the front line, real-time target observation, drone control, and communication between units.

Regarding responsibility, 444 notes that Musk denies any link with the slowdown, claims that Starshield is under the control of the US Army, and suggests that the Pentagon could be behind the limits, while the White House repeatedly denies having intentionally restricted the service. On Thursday, Trump refused to say whether he had called Musk: "The essential thing is that he restored it." The Wall Street Journal claims, however, that the President did speak to Musk and expressed his dissatisfaction, and that the system worked better afterwards.

HVG emphasizes the contrast with Kiev. Citing CNN, it writes that Trump asked Musk by phone to restore full access to Ukraine. On Friday morning, however, Ukrainian officials indicated that the limits were still in effect: they have been hindering fast military vehicles for over a week, complicating the use of interceptor drones against Russian attacks, and disrupting operations in several sectors. Zelensky's advisor, Serhiy Beskrestnov, states: "We do not currently see a lifting of Starlink's restrictions," attributing isolated cases of higher speeds to SpaceX's algorithm.

A second article by HVG, dated Thursday, relays Zelensky's statement: the standard speed has still not been restored. It adds a diplomatic aspect: the hope of a new exchange with Marco Rubio, the possibility of peace talks on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Florida on December 14 and 15, and cooperation on satellite communications discussed with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.

Hungarian coverage remains focused on the concrete functioning of the service and the gap between the President's words and the Ukrainian findings, without dwelling on the congressional investigation or the Vance-Europeans dispute.

Bucharest, October 23, 2026. Digi24, G4Media, and Mediafax initially treated the Starlink episode as a front-page story. Digi24 reported that Donald Trump stated Elon Musk had "relaunched" the services used by Ukraine, after Kiev reported connection restrictions to the satellite network. The American president refused to say whether he himself had called the SpaceX founder: "It doesn't change anything. What matters is that he relaunched it."

The account is based on the Wall Street Journal, cited by Mediafax and G4Media: Trump allegedly called Musk and expressed his dissatisfaction with the speed limitation. Ukrainian officials say the terminals are working faster, but have not regained their initial speed. Digi24 specified that the Ukrainian army uses SpaceX technology for its interceptor drones and certain offensive operations, and that the restrictions hindered several missions.

Romanian media detailed the measure: according to G4Media and Mediafax, Musk imposed an automatic shutdown of any equipment exceeding 160 km/h in mid-October, which directly affects drone operations. They also outlined the chain of responsibility: Musk initially claimed the military system was controlled by the US government, Marco Rubio and Trump denied that Washington had ordered these restrictions, and then a Wall Street Journal investigation stated that Musk had personally ordered the limitation.

Mediafax, citing Al Jazeera, reported on the follow-up: Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Friday an agreement with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo for Ukraine to use more Finnish satellite capabilities, "important for our defense". Finnish companies signed a letter of intent with the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense during Orpo's visit to Kiev on Thursday. The same day, a source from the ministry indicated that "cases of signal loss" on Starshield were still being observed.

The Romanian reader thus receives a dual message: access was partially restored by a personal decision from Musk and Trump, but dependence on a private American provider remains, hence the search for an independent system with European partners. The articles do not develop the debate in Congress or the midterm elections.

Moscow, October 23, 2026. The Russian press is following the Starlink case as a revelation of tensions between Washington and Kiev, rather than as a technical incident. TASS, citing The Economist, reports that the decision to restrict access "seems to come from a small circle around President Trump, Mr. Musk, and Steve Witkoff," and that Musk "wanted to punish Ukraine for its strikes on Russian refineries." Vedomosti quotes the Wall Street Journal: Musk would have decided to restrict Starshield without warning Trump, after new Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, and the two men have been criticizing Kiev in recent weeks, including for these attacks.

On Thursday, October 22, according to Interfax and Meduza, the Wall Street Journal claims that Trump called Musk to ask him to lift the limit, deemed embarrassing since the service remained capped at around 160 km/h. When asked, Trump replied: "I don't want to comment. Whether I called or someone else, it doesn't matter. In the end, he put it back." TASS and Sputnik relay these words without comment, Sputnik recalling that the restrictions disrupted Ukrainian drone strikes.

Russian media then focus on the denial. Meduza, citing Associated Press and a European official, writes that the military version of the service remains limited and that Kiev has received no explanation about the author of the order. TASS quotes a Ukrainian official in the Kyiv Independent: "Overall, nothing has changed anywhere," as well as Sergei Sternenko, former advisor to the Ukrainian Minister of Defense, who says that some operations have been disrupted again. TASS also notes a counter-narrative, a portal claiming that the Ukrainian army is using Starlink without restriction again.

Meduza notes that Musk refers decisions on Starshield to the Pentagon and the White House, while Trump denies having ordered the restriction; journalists from several publications, citing their sources, attribute the decision to Musk and Trump. The Moscow Times, a media outlet classified as "undesirable" in Russia, adds that Rubio judged that access was the responsibility of SpaceX and not the White House, and that Zelensky hopes to speak with him in the coming days.

The common thread: a conditional American-Ukrainian alliance, where a private actor and the White House pass the buck, and where strikes on Russian refineries serve as an explanation.

Stockholm, October 23, 2026. Aftonbladet and Svenska Dagbladet published, on Thursday, October 22, the same text titled "Trump: the military variant of Starlink back in Ukraine". The American president asserts that Elon Musk "has restored" the service. He refuses to say whether he was the one who called the SpaceX boss: "I don't want to comment on whether it was me or someone else who called, it's not important."

The Swedish account starts with the military consequences. According to sources cited earlier in the week, Elon Musk had made the decision to limit the military version of Starlink, which, according to the text, had undermined Ukraine's defense capacity. This limitation meant that Ukrainian drones, both offensive and defensive, lost their connection beyond a certain speed and became "in principle useless".

The two newspapers then devote a passage to the shifting of responsibilities. Elon Musk had previously said that "any speed or usage limitation" of the system is set by the US military and, by extension, by the president. The US Secretary of Defense stated that the Pentagon had not ordered any changes to the satellite network, and Donald Trump claims he did not do so either. The Swedish reader therefore sees three actors who in turn dismiss the decision, without the text designating who made the decision.

The text is based on the word of the American president and on previous statements by Elon Musk and the Pentagon. It does not report, in the provided passage, the reaction of Kiev or the position of European leaders, although the briefing on the subject indicates that Volodymyr Zelensky, alongside Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, said that the speed had not been restored. The Swedish articles provided also do not deal with the investigations requested by Congress or the Ukrainian project for its own satellite network.

For Sweden, a neighbor of Finland and heavily involved in supporting Ukraine, the episode is first and foremost a question of the reliability of the tool that connects drones to the front: a speed limitation is enough to render equipment inoperable, and the confirmation of their return to service relies, at this stage, on a verbal assertion by Donald Trump.

Kiev, October 23, 2026. For the Ukrainian press, Donald Trump's announcement settles nothing as long as frontline measures do not confirm it. On Thursday, October 22, the American president stated that Elon Musk had restored the Starshield military service, while refusing to say if he himself had called the billionaire: "Whether I called or someone else, it doesn't change anything. I suppose that, in the end, he put it back." Ukrinform relays the Wall Street Journal: Trump would have asked Musk to lift the speed limit, and according to American and Ukrainian officials, the system then functioned more normally, but some Ukrainian officials judge the functionality not fully restored.

On the same day, Volodymyr Zelensky declared to CNN: "For now, it's still limited." Kyiv Post specifies that Ukraine has developed rapid interceptor drones capable of destroying Russian Shahed jet drones, but that the restrictions have greatly reduced their capabilities. A source cited by CNN estimates the available speeds as "clearly insufficient to intercept jet drones."

On Friday, October 23, a source from the Ministry of Defense indicated to Kyiv Post and Ukrainska Pravda that connection losses at 161 km/h were still being recorded: "For now, there is no confirmation that the restrictions have been lifted." Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov, advisor to the president, writes on Facebook that the rare cases of faster speeds probably come from SpaceX's algorithm, not from a lifting of restrictions. TSN recalls that, according to military personnel, the outages cost over a million dollars in drones and immobilized most combat sorties for three days.

On the American side, Kyiv Post relays JD Vance: Musk runs a private company that does not want to get in the middle of a war between two states without government instruction, and "it's not about Elon." Vance also reproaches Europeans for rushing to SpaceX after years of regulation; the newspaper notes that the EU is negotiating Ukraine's access to its secure communications program, which could offer commercial services starting in early 2027. NV Ukraine, citing AP, describes an administration where responsibility for the restrictions is being passed around.

In America, the Starlink affair is first and foremost a story of accountability at the highest levels of government. On Thursday, before heading to a meeting in Iowa, Donald Trump stated that Musk had restored the service: "the fact is that he put it back." When asked if he had called the SpaceX CEO, he replied that he did not want to comment: "Whether I called or someone else did, it makes no difference." According to the Wall Street Journal, cited by CNBC and The Hill, he called Musk on Wednesday, frustrated that speeds were still capped at around 100 miles per hour.

The same Journal had reported on Tuesday that Musk had himself ordered the slowdown. Trump repeats: "I don't know who did it, but I was not involved." Marco Rubio speaks of a "private commercial contract", Pete Hegseth of terms of use, which The Hill describes as a change in tone after initial denials. Musk attributes the decision to the US military and, "ultimately", to the president. Time sees less an all-powerful oligarch than an entrepreneur dependent on Washington: a fifth of SpaceX's revenue comes from federal agencies.

The political front dominates. The slowdown has been criticized by Republicans and Democrats alike; Texas Senator John Cornyn does not believe that Musk would act without at least some acquiescence from the White House. On Friday, three California Democratic lawmakers, Sam Liccardo, Ro Khanna, and Jimmy Panetta, wrote to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles to demand a government-wide investigation. They promise to make it a priority if they win the House on November 3. Robert Weissman, of Public Citizen, evokes an "extreme danger" and an antitrust issue.

The military consequences are present but secondary. Ukrainian officials told CNN that the restrictions were still in place and hindering fast drones. A commander told the New York Times that the throttling had cost his unit over a million dollars and delayed missions by three days. Evelyn Farkas, a former Pentagon official, speaks on Bloomberg of a "moral problem" for the United States. Canadian Mark Carney sees it as a reason to reduce dependencies.

Pretoria, October 23, 2026. In South Africa, the Starlink-Ukraine episode is first viewed through the local question: should Elon Musk be allowed to deploy his satellites in the country? SABC News, the public broadcaster, reports the facts in a sober manner. According to the Wall Street Journal, which cites American officials, Donald Trump called Elon Musk and asked him to lift the restrictions on Ukraine's use of Starlink. The system was functioning "more normally" on Thursday, shortly after this exchange, according to American and Ukrainian officials cited by the American daily.

The media also recalls the reaction of Volodymyr Zelensky the previous week. The Ukrainian president had lamented "difficulties" with Starlink and intelligence, citing "unexpected surprises" while Kiev is counting on a "true partnership" with the United States: "We want to be very honest, very clear and be strong partners." The dispatch does not mention the subsequent Ukrainian denials about the speed of the service.

The tone changes significantly in Tom Eaton's column, published by TimesLIVE on October 23 under the title "Common sense would tell you that Starlink is a Trojan horse." The editorialist starts with a South African debate: American Ambassador Brent Bozell and local conservatives lament that the government continues to keep Starlink out of the country. On Wednesday, Bozell stated on The Common Sense website that Musk was offering to provide free internet to schools, but that the BBBEE economic redistribution legislation was blocking this "humanitarian donation", an "absurd" situation according to him.

Eaton notes that the figures vary: 5,000 rural schools according to The Common Sense, 500 according to the ambassador. He reports that Musk's companies rake in around $120 billion per year, and that the offer would represent two or three hours of revenue. He admits that one can judge the BBBEE as "generally sensible but very poorly applied", without this changing his verdict.

For him, after what he calls the "betrayal of Ukraine by the trillionaire this week", even Musk's admirers should measure what it means to collaborate with him. The message is clear: dependence on a private network under the decision of one man is a political risk, which Kiev is experiencing in wartime conditions and which Pretoria prefers not to impose on itself.