SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite technology has been used in the Russia-Ukraine War to help Ukraine with communications. However, an “interference” has created friction between Musk and Ukraine officials.
According to excerpts obtained by CNN from an unreleased biography on Musk, Starlink satellites were off over Russian-controlled Crimea last year, preventing a Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s navy.
With no access to the satellites, Ukrainian submarine drones with explosives lost connection as they closed in on Russia’s navy.
Musk took to X in an effort to clear up the report, saying the satellites were never on in the region to begin with. He was asked to turn them on to help the attack, but chose not to.
“If I had agreed to their request, then SpaceX would be explicitly complicit in a major act of war and conflict escalation,” Musk posted in part.
Mykhailo Podolyak, a top adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, responded on X.
“Sometimes a mistake is much more than just a mistake,” the adviser said. “By not allowing Ukrainian drones to destroy part of the Russian military fleet via Starlink interference, Elon Musk allowed this fleet to fire missiles at Ukrainian cities.”
Despite Ukraine viewing Musk’s decision not to help as a mistake, others are hailing him as a hero, saying that the billionaire’s resistance could have shielded the world from nuclear war.
Musk said Starlink was not meant to be involved in wars and both sides should agree to a truce.