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United States billionaire Elon Musk told former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov that he was not opposed to Starlink being used for strikes on Russian territory, the Financial Times reported on August 31.
People familiar with the matter told the British newspaper that Musk had previously informed Fedorov he would not block Ukraine from using Starlink-equipped drones to strike targets inside Russia. He added, however, that the decision was political and rested with the White House.
The FT reported earlier this month that Ukraine was seeking Musk’s permission to deploy strike drones fitted with Starlink to attack Russian missile launchers inside Russian territory.
According to the sources, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked U.S. President Donald Trump during a July White House meeting to raise the matter with Musk. Kyiv proposed restricting the drones’ range to 200 kilometers from the Russian border, but Trump offered no clear endorsement, those present said.
In 2022, Musk restricted Starlink access during operations near the Crimean Peninsula to avert such risks, though he later green-lighted similar attacks.
The Ukrainian plan faces steep tactical obstacles. Kyiv has largely failed to locate and suppress mobile ballistic and cruise missile launchers, or even drone bases—including those in Crimea.
Recent conflicts underscore the difficulty of the approach. Even with complete aerial supremacy during the war with Iran, the U.S. and Israel could not fully prevent missile and drone launches. Later assessments showed that early claims of destroying the vast majority of Iranian launchers were heavily exaggerated.
Russia’s sprawling and deeply entrenched military-industrial complex is far more robust than Iran’s, making Ukraine’s strategic aims appear largely unrealistic.
Earlier this month, Russia began mass production of the Volna Kupol Garant electronic warfare system, designed to counter Starlink effectively.
A Russian defense industry source told TASS that the new system was “just the beginning,” warning that Musk has gotten himself into the “wrong game.”
“If Starlink does not stop aiding and abetting terrorism, it will be up to Russia to decide whether to shut down Starlink only over our territory or worldwide,” they added.
Kyiv may recognize the strategy’s practical limits and instead view the Starlink request as a political lever intended to heighten escalation, extend the conflict, and extract further support from Western backers.
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russia should destroy starling sat. what will the usa do? nothing. other than more sanction that does not hurt russia and always backfire
ruzzia can’t destroy sh1t, let alone actual satellites. last time i checked ruzzia lost like 31 s-400 launchers, and they barely have anything to use against satellites. yes, they do have that trash pl-19 nudol and s-500, but we all know how ruzzian air defense systems work in moscow.
your ignorance is outshined by your bias, you must be american.
i’m american and i can confirm, he’s a yankee doodle jimwackie.
the cognoscenti among us must suffer such as he on a daily basis. it’s very tiring.
good to see that someone’s on the ground reporting from moscow. 🖕
they will use the eu to increase sanctions. it makes for great speeches.
i say the more sanctions the eu can muster, the better. it speeds their dissolution and the world is becoming impatient.
ruzzia lost. ukraine won. as always, ggs.
frequent sodomy by superior hebrews causes us americunts to be bitter envious
hopium and copium are wonderful things.
musk desperately wants some of the huge taxpayer subsidies to american corporations. if it only saves one russian soldier it is better to blast the satellites from the sky and musk with them if need be.
this will fill the ukrainian grocery store shelves with bounty. all so the sleepwalking us financial, federal, political and military complex classes can endlessly impulse shop on amazon prime. russia has no countermeasures, ability to adapt or destroy these systems. unless they do. all cynics understand russians never adapt.
yes war, and politicians have made me cynical
“i have decided to conquer russia by the end of the year. we only have to kick in the front door and the whole rotten structure will come crashing down.” “jawohl, mein fuhrer! ve vill be in moscow in six weeks!”
better men than that have stubbed their toe on russia, only to then lose their foot from gangrene.
the bonobo named teco likely would not do what musk is about to do.
play with fire and you will get burned
last night 5 superior species orthodox joos tore my diarrhea anuz sprayed jizz in my well used americunt anuz—i won
ok clyde.. you are still a moron …
russia blow his junk out of the sky its really just more us military equipment anyway
i knew musk was weird but now he’s begun channeling his fascist forefathers for guidance.
look up his family tree. i jest not.