German politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann has reacted with outrage to reports that Elon Musk ordered restrictions on Starlink access for Ukraine, according to WELT. The outlet quoted her asking how "sick and brutalized" a person would have to be, framing the remark as a direct rebuke of the SpaceX owner. WELT published the reaction on Thursday, 22 October 2026.
The criticism follows media reports that Musk ordered a throttling of Starlink for Ukraine. The German public broadcaster tagesschau.de reported the throttling order, and Der Spiegel examined how the slowdown could endanger Kyiv's battlefield gains at the front. Starlink satellite connectivity has been closely tied to Ukrainian military communications.
The story also sits alongside wider developments in the war. Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said a subway bridge in the capital had been damaged, according to n-tv.de. Meanwhile, FOCUS online reported that a combat drone from the manufacturer Helsing can still strike targets in Ukraine without a Starlink connection, and highlighted praise for its ability to hit near Donetsk.
Strack-Zimmermann's remark adds a German political voice to a debate that has focused on the consequences of limiting satellite access during active fighting. The reports cited here describe the throttling as an order attributed to Musk through media accounts, not as a confirmed public statement from him.
What to watch next: whether SpaceX or Musk responds publicly to the reports, and whether the reported restrictions are lifted or expanded.