Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Local sources to Al Mayadeen: Sudanese army forces drones strike town of Kabkabiya, North Darfur.
Syrian Observatory: The plane is loaded with air defense systems and heavy weapons as part of US troop reinforcements to its bases in northeastern Syria
Syrian Observatory: US cargo plane lands with two military helicopters at Kharab al-Jir base in the countryside of Rmeilan, north of Hasakah
Miguel Díaz-Canel to Gustavo Petro: US seeks to reimpose the Monroe Doctrine in its relations with sovereign states in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Abu Ali Mustapha Brigades, the military wing of the PFLP, says they handed over the body of an Israeli captive to the Israeli occupation forces in implementation of the clauses of the ceasefire agreement.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: Israeli drones are flying over the presidential palace in Baabda, Mount Lebanon, and over the skies of the capital, Beirut, and its suburbs.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli warplanes launch a series of raids on the al-Mahmoudiya and Jarmaq areas
Trump reiterates proposal for Russia and Ukraine to stop at current front line, negotiate later
Reuters: Trump says no discussion regarding Ukraine ceding Donbas to Russia
US Vice President JD Vance: There is currently no security infrastructure in place to ensure the disarmament of Hamas

Elon Musk denied Starlink access to Ukraine for Crimea attack

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News Websites
  • 2 Aug 2023 00:08
3 Min Read

Musk has expressed that his firm cannot be used to aid in offensive strikes.

  • x
  • Elon Musk 'refuses to turn on Starlink' for Crimea drone attack
    Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk during the SATELLITE Conference and Exhibition on March 9, 2020 in Washington, US. (AP)

According to a US source, Elon Musk caused Ukraine to abandon a planned naval drone strike in the Black Sea by withholding access to the Starlink satellite network.

The Ukrainian military was thus unable to remotely pilot an explosive-laden drone into a Russian ship in Crimea.

Musk has formerly stated that he does not want Starlink to be used for long-range offensive operations.

The New York Times reported that General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, the chief of Ukraine's armed forces, expressed his concern to US General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as Kiev's senior general informed him that his soldiers' access to Starlink had been impeded on several occasions.

Since the beginning of the war, Ukraine has received around 20,000 Starlink terminals.

Read more: Musk's Starlink, Space X arms of US empire & war machine: MintPress

Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak told The Telegraph that the implementation of decision-making must be independent and the risks are too great when they "depend on external circumstances or third parties." 

Related News

Operation Lunar Hail: Ukraine targeted Crimean Bridge with US ATACMS

Germany closing leaked conversation case is hypocritical: Zakharova

Kenneth Roth, a former executive director of Human Rights Watch, revealed that Ukrainian operations are sometimes rejected by Musk, in a position of power that Ulrike Franke, a senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, says "no individual should have."

Musk's SpaceX corporation operates a "constellation" of satellites that can be used to coordinate drone and artillery attacks, provide live footage from the battlefield, and gather intelligence. However, the CEO has always been concerned about his system being used for harmful purposes.

According to the New York Times, citing persons familiar with the matter, he has blocked access to Starlink on various occasions throughout the war.

In February, Musk tweeted, "We are not allowing Starlink to be used for long-range drone strikes.”

Ukraine has utilized a fleet of naval drones to attack Russian targets, most notably destroying a section of the Kerch bridge that connects Crimea to mainland Russia.

Musk's unilateral authority over the Starlink system is what worries Ukraine's government.

Last year, Musk lit the Twitter platform on fire after proposing a "peace plan" for the war in Ukraine, arguing that Russia will probably win the war eventually, thus "millions of people may die needlessly for an essentially identical outcome."

The billionaire's initiative was greeted as a "positive" step by the Kremlin, while Kiev accused him of making plans aligned with Russian interests.

  • Starlink satellite
  • Elon Musk
  • Starlink
  • Crimea
  • Crimea Bridge
  • Ukraine
  • Russia
Russia & NATO

Russia & NATO

As the Draconian Western-led sanctions on Russia exacerbate the economic crisis worldwide, and as Russian troops gain more ground despite the influx of military aid into Ukraine, exposing US direct involvement in bio-labs spread across Eastern Europe and the insurgence of neo-Nazi groups… How will things unfold?

Most Read

Iran strikes secret Israeli-US bunker under Tel Aviv high-rise

Tel Aviv high-rise struck by Iran hid Site 81, secret US-Israeli base

  • Politics
  • 14 Oct 2025
Yemeni Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Abd al-Karim al-Ghamari , during a ceremony in an undisclosed locations in Yemen, undate (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemeni Armed Forces mourn martyred Chief of Staff al-Ghamari

  • Politics
  • 16 Oct 2025
Israeli occupation violates Gaza ceasefire, killing seven Palestinians.

Israeli occupation violates Gaza ceasefire, kills seven Palestinians

  • Politics
  • 14 Oct 2025
Zionists Fundamentally Misread Iran Due To Their Own Echo Chambers

Zionists fundamentally misread Iran due to their own echo chambers

  • Analysis
  • 15 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
UK blocks release of documents on secretive Lammy-Sa’ar meeting.
Politics

UK blocks release of documents on secret Lammy-Sa’ar meeting

Colombia slams Trump’s drug accusation, defends sovereignty
Politics

Colombia slams Trump’s incendiary drug claims, defends sovereignty

The abuse was detailed in Giuffre's memoir "Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice." (AP)
Politics

Epstein victim recounts choking, sexual assault by 'well-known PM'

The US Secret Service discovered a hunting stand near the airport President Donald Trump uses in Florida. (US Secret Service)
Politics

FBI probes hunting stand with sightline to Trump’s Air Force One exit

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS