Elon Musk allegedly ordered Starlink to cut internet services in parts of Ukraine as its troops mounted a crucial counteroffensive in September 2022, according to sources familiar with the command. The blackout caused a Ukrainian attack to fail as soldiers attempted to regain Kherson.
Staff at the American tech firm deactivated at least 100 Starlink terminals after receiving instructions from the billionaire, who told a senior engineer at SpaceX's California offices to cut coverage. The order shocked employees because it allowed Musk to 'take the outcome of a war into his own hands', one source said.
Ukrainian troops suddenly faced a communications blackout, causing panic. Drones surveilling Russian forces went dark, and long-range artillery units struggled to hit targets. Troops failed to surround a Russian position in Beryslav, east of Kherson, and the encirclement stalled entirely. 'It failed,' a military official said.
The decision is thought to have come from Musk's fears that Ukrainian advances might provoke Russian nuclear retaliation. A SpaceX spokesman told Reuters the account is 'inaccurate'. Musk previously wrote on X: 'We would never do such a thing.'
Starlink continues to provide service to Ukraine, and its military relies on it for some connectivity. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy publicly expressed gratitude to Musk for Starlink earlier this year.
