During the annual Yalta European Strategy meeting on September 9, 2023, Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Main Ukrainian Intelligence Directorate, confirmed that Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite connection is being utilized by Ukrainian soldiers on all front lines in the war with Russia. He also mentioned that although there was a period when the Starlink coverage didn’t work in Russian-occupied Crimea, it continues to play a significant role in the battlefield.

According to Budanov, the Starlink satellites are extensively used in various systems for communication, drone transmissions, and even remote command posts. He emphasized that regardless of any debate on whether the technology is good or bad, the fact remains that all front lines rely on Starlink.

These statements come amidst allegations that Musk sabotaged his own Starlink network. A new biography of the SpaceX CEO claims that he ordered the shutdown of the network to disrupt a Ukrainian attack on the Russian naval fleet in Crimea in 2022. However, on September 8, 2023, Musk denied any involvement in the alleged sabotage and clarified that the Starlink network in the region was not turned on in the first place.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, when asked about the possible Starlink sabotage, acknowledged that Starlink has been a crucial tool in the Russia-Ukraine war. He expressed hope that the technology will remain fully available to the Ukrainians, although he couldn’t address the specific incident mentioned in the biography.

The use of Starlink in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia highlights its importance in modern warfare. As more nations and organizations rely on satellite communication systems for strategic purposes, the role of technologies like Starlink continues to evolve. These developments illustrate the ever-growing intersection between space technology and global geopolitics.