Russia-Ukraine war: When Elon Musk shutdown Starlink in 2022, drones went dark — how much power does SpaceX boss hold?

In 2022, Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, reportedly shut down Starlink services in Ukraine, causing significant disruptions to the country's military operations. Ukrainian officials claimed that this interference led to civilian deaths and limited the effectiveness of Ukrainian interceptors in countering Russian drones. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk later clarified the difference between Starlink and Starshield services, but the controversy over who controlled access to the technology persisted.

Ukraine had previously experienced disruptions to its Starlink system during the conflict, including a notable incident in September 2022 when Musk allegedly ordered the shutdown of Starlink coverage in key areas, including Kherson and Donetsk province. The subsequent communication blackout severely impacted Ukrainian troops, who relied on the technology for battlefield connectivity and artillery targeting.

Despite SpaceX's claims of full commitment to providing service to Ukraine, doubts remain about the extent of its control and the motivations behind these shutdowns.