US billionaire Elon Musk, head of the US Government Efficiency Department and SpaceX CEO, claimed Ukraine’s military would collapse without his Starlink satellite communication system.
“My Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian army. Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off,” Musk wrote on his social media platform X.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion began, SpaceX has supplied Ukraine with thousands of Starlink terminals, crucial for the Ukrainian Armed Forces in areas where traditional communications infrastructure has been destroyed. Musk suggested that by providing Kyiv access to this technology, he has effectively challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin. He also called for an immediate end to the war.
This statement comes amid rapidly escalating events surrounding Ukraine following Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration. Trump is pressuring Ukraine to accept a peace deal, though his efforts focus solely on Kyiv, while Moscow refuses to compromise.
In February, Reuters cited sources claiming US negotiators threatened to cut Ukraine’s Starlink access after Kyiv refused to sign a mineral deal draft—a report Musk dismissed as “false.” This controversy emerged as US military aid to Ukraine was temporarily halted.
Read more:
- ISW: Ukraine does not use HIMARS or ATACMS in Kursk, suggesting a US intelligence void
- Maxar confirms US government blocked Ukrainian access to satellite data (UPDATED)
- Russia narrows Ukrainian bridgehead to 11 km in Kursk Oblast offensive
