Elon Musk points finger at Ukraine for X ‘cyberattack’
Billionaire entrepreneur and outspoken DOGE advocate Elon Musk stated on Monday that his social media platform, X, was taken down by a “massive cyberattack” allegedly traced to the “Ukraine area.”
“We still don’t have all the details,” Musk admitted during an interview with Fox Business Network’s Larry Kudlow. “But there was a major attempt to cripple the X system, and the IP addresses point to the Ukraine region.”
Musk, 53, did not provide further proof of who might be responsible for the attack.
Cyber experts have long warned that attackers can manipulate IP addresses to disguise their true locations, a technique known as “spoofing.”
Skepticism Over Ukrainian Involvement
Some security analysts remain doubtful that Ukraine had any role in such a bold cyber offensive—especially given the timing. The attack occurred just one day before a crucial diplomatic meeting between US and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia, where Kyiv was hoping to restore intelligence-sharing and secure more military aid from Washington.
“It makes zero sense for Ukrainian hackers to strike Elon Musk at a time when they need US support more than ever,” Alex Plitsas of the Atlantic Council told The Post on Monday.
“The key question to ask here is: Who benefits from this? And it’s certainly not Ukraine.”
Who’s Behind the Attack?
While hacktivist groups like Anonymous have previously targeted Musk due to his controversial statements, some experts argue that Russia has the strongest motive. Framing Ukraine for the attack could strain its relationship with the US, disrupt negotiations, and undermine support for Kyiv.
“Anonymous could be a possibility—they’ve been vocal about their disdain for Musk—but if we’re talking about real strategic benefit, only Russia stands to gain,” Plitsas explained. “The attack’s timing is too perfect if the goal was to discredit Ukraine ahead of key talks.”
Musk’s Criticism of Ukraine
Musk, like former President Donald Trump, has often criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for resisting peace negotiations with Russia.
His stance has fueled controversy, especially given his role in providing Starlink satellite terminals to Ukraine shortly after Russia’s invasion in 2022. The technology has been crucial in maintaining battlefield communications.
Musk recently emphasized just how critical his technology is to Ukraine’s war effort. “Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off,” he posted on X.
Platform Outages and Response
X suffered widespread outages on Monday, with thousands of users reporting disruptions. According to DownDetector.com, reports of problems began at 6 a.m., peaking at over 40,000 by 10 a.m. Another 25,000 users encountered issues with the app later in the day.
By late afternoon, Musk assured Kudlow that the platform had been restored. “It’s up,” he confirmed around 5 p.m. ET.
Earlier in the day, Musk had warned that the cyberattack was unusually powerful. “We deal with attacks daily, but this was coordinated and required significant resources,” he posted. “This was either a large group effort or a state-sponsored operation.”
A War of Words
Just a day before the attack, Musk had defended his contributions to Ukraine’s military, pushing back against critics who accuse him of being too sympathetic to Russia.
“I literally challenged Putin to a one-on-one fight over Ukraine, and my Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian army,” Musk posted in response to accusations that he leans pro-Russia.
Despite his past support, Musk has grown increasingly frustrated with the ongoing conflict. “What sickens me is years of slaughter in a stalemate Ukraine will ultimately lose,” he wrote Sunday. “Anyone who truly cares, truly thinks, and truly understands wants this meat grinder to end. PEACE NOW!!”
