Musk refuses to let Ukraine use Starlink to strike Russian missile launchers

Elon Musk, owner of SpaceX and its Starlink satellite network, has refused to allow Ukraine to use Starlink for strikes on Russian missile launch systems located deep inside Russian territory. The American outlet The Atlantic reported this on August 7, citing informed sources.

According to the publication, Ukraine's former defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov tried through unofficial channels to persuade Musk to let Ukraine's armed forces use Starlink for targeting inside Russia. However, Musk believes such a step would lead to further escalation of the war and insists that Moscow and Kyiv should reach a deal instead, according to Germany's Deutsche Welle.

Currently, Ukraine's armed forces can use Starlink to strike Russian targets only within Ukraine's officially recognized territory, including annexed Crimea and occupied areas.

Zelensky's request to Trump

As The Atlantic previously reported, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked US President Donald Trump during a meeting in Washington on July 28 to persuade Elon Musk to allow Ukraine to use Starlink for guiding drones in strikes on targets deep within Russia. Zelensky argued that Ukraine expects intensified Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure this coming winter, and that such capability would let it destroy Russian launch systems before ballistic missiles are even fired. This would also reduce Kyiv's dependence on scarce Patriot interceptor missile supplies.

According to The Atlantic, Trump promised to consider Ukraine's request. Musk himself declined to meet with Zelensky.