Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, has reportedly denied an emergency request from the Ukrainian government to activate Starlink satellite internet services during a military offensive. Musk cited concerns that such activation could potentially lead to a significant act of war and conflict escalation.
The situation unfolded on social media platform X when a user accused Musk of instructing his engineers to deactivate Starlink’s satellite communications network during a major Ukrainian offensive. The user claimed that this action was taken to prevent a surprise attack by Ukraine against the Russian naval fleet.
In response to these allegations, Musk clarified that the Starlink regions in question were not activated, and SpaceX did not deactivate any services. He further explained that there was indeed an emergency request from government authorities to activate Starlink all the way to Sevastopol, with the apparent intention of targeting a significant portion of the Russian fleet at anchor.
Musk’s decision not to comply with the request was based on his concern that such an action could make SpaceX explicitly complicit in a major act of war and conflict escalation. He asserted that Starlink was originally designed to provide internet access for peaceful purposes, such as entertainment, education, and communication, rather than for military operations.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the country’s military has heavily relied on Starlink’s satellite communications network to maintain contact between front-line troops and their commanders. SpaceX, the company behind Starlink, has provided Ukraine with thousands of Starlink terminals since February 2022, thanks to private donations and support from US taxpayers.
Reports suggest that Elon Musk’s concerns about the potential for nuclear war played a role in his decision-making regarding Starlink’s use in military operations. Musk reportedly intervened to prevent Ukraine from conducting a drone strike on Moscow’s Black Sea Fleet.
While the situation highlights the complex and sensitive nature of providing satellite communication services during conflicts, Musk’s stance underscores his commitment to keeping technology intended for peaceful purposes out of war and conflict scenarios.
