Ukraine wants to aim Starlink at Russian targets—and build a version Elon Musk can’t switch off

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on October 4th that his country is developing a satellite system similar to SpaceX's Starlink, as reported by Interfax-Ukraine. Zelenskyy argued that Ukraine should have the freedom to target Russian military installations with Starlink, warning that other nations, notably China, would soon provide comparable satellite technology to Moscow.

Ukraine's current battlefield communications rely on a network owned by Elon Musk, which has previously limited Ukraine's wartime usage. With satellite internet acting as a crucial utility controlled by a single entity, both military forces are vying to own this connection rather than merely renting it.

According to Zelenskyy, groundwork for Ukraine's Starlink alternative exists, and the nation is working on a comparable system. He stated that it would be reasonable for Ukraine to target military sites within Russia using Starlink. The motivation behind this is the possibility that various states will share technology with Russia later this year or early next, with China among them. Russia already operates a Starlink-style constellation called Rassvet; however, it currently provides limited coverage to Ukraine.

Recent conflicts have demonstrated the significance of Starlink for Ukraine. Russian terminals have been rendered ineffective, and assaults have disrupted Ukrainian troops and drones heavily depend on Starlink. Musk has previously used his control over the network against Ukraine, refusing to extend Starlink over occupied Crimea for a drone strike on Russian warships in 2022 and restricting the network's usage for drone operations since then.

Sanctions have been requested by Zelenskyy, urging U.S. President Donald Trump to target Russian and Chinese companies building Russia's Rassvet network.