Elon Musk has refused to allow Ukraine to use his Starlink satellite internet service to conduct drone strikes deep inside Russian territory, The Atlantic reported on Friday, citing two close allies of former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov.
According to the publication, Fedorov, a tech-savvy promoter of drone warfare who was fired from his position last month, has since worked through covert channels to appeal to Musk, but the billionaire has so far refused to back down.
“So far, there is no positive decision,” a Fedorov ally was quoted as saying. “Elon keeps saying it’s time to make a deal,” the source added.
The Atlantic newspaper previously reported that during his visit to the US last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyyr Zelensky asked President Donald Trump to help influence his close ally Musk on the issue, but Trump remained silent.
Musk began donating tens of thousands of Starlink terminals to Ukraine shortly after its conflict with Russia erupted in February 2022. However, he quickly began clashing with Ukrainian officials, as he urged them to focus on reaching a peace agreement between Moscow and Kiev and repeatedly warned that the conflict could lead to “World War III.”
In 2023, the entrepreneur confirmed reports that he had rejected Ukraine’s request to use Starlink to attack Russia’s Black Sea Fleet and naval bases in Crimea. “If I had agreed to their request, then SpaceX would have been an open accomplice in a major act of war and escalation of the conflict,” he said at the time.
