Overview

• According to Reuters, Elon Musk instructed SpaceX engineers in September 2022 to cut Starlink coverage in Kherson and Beryslav.
• Staffers deactivated more than 100 terminals, causing drone feeds to go dark and long-range artillery units to lose targeting support.
• The outage stalled Ukraine’s counteroffensive advance, preventing troops from encircling Russian forces at Beryslav.
• SpaceX has disputed the reporting as inaccurate and reiterated its commitment to maintaining service for Ukraine.
• The revelations have intensified calls for formal oversight and safeguards to reduce military dependence on privately controlled satellite networks.