Overview

• Reuters reported on July 25 that Musk personally directed SpaceX engineers to deactivate hundreds of Starlink terminals in frontline areas including Kherson, parts of Donetsk and Beryslav during Ukraine’s late-September 2022 counteroffensive.
• The blackout disrupted drone surveillance, artillery targeting and battlefield communications, causing a planned encirclement of Russian forces in Beryslav to stall.
• Sources familiar with the decision told Reuters that Musk’s move was motivated by fears of provoking a nuclear response from Moscow.
• A SpaceX spokesperson called the report inaccurate and pointed to prior statements reaffirming Starlink’s commitment to maintain service for Ukrainian forces.
• The episode underscores broader concerns over Ukraine’s reliance on a privately controlled satellite network without formal international oversight and growing tensions between SpaceX and U.S. defense officials.