FT: Musk Open to Ukrainian Drones Using Starlink in Russia – Decision Rests With U.S.

Elon Musk may allow Ukraine to use drones equipped with Starlink terminals to strike targets on Russian territory, but the final decision would have to be made by the White House.

The Financial Times reports this.

According to FT sources, Musk has generally not objected to the possibility of Starlink being used on Ukrainian drones outside Ukraine.

Meanwhile, he emphasized that the decision to grant such permission must be made by the U.S. administration.

According to the newspaper, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had previously approached Musk with a request to allow Starlink-equipped drones to be used to strike Russian ballistic missile launchers located up to 200 km from the Ukrainian border.

Starlink terminals are widely used by Ukrainian units on the front line. They provide internet access in areas where traditional communications infrastructure is unavailable or damaged.

Satellite communications also allow command centers to receive video feeds from drones and exchange data between units.

Starlink is also used directly in unmanned systems. Starlink terminals installed on drones have played an important role in Ukrainian operations against Russian military targets, including strikes on logistics routes in Crimea.

The system provides drones with a communications and data transmission link over significant distances.

In particular, this concerns the possibility of striking Russian ballistic missile launchers.

Against this backdrop, Russia is also attempting to develop its own satellite communications system. According to Ukrainian intelligence, Moscow has accelerated the deployment of the Rassvet system, which is intended to become an analogue of Starlink. Russia plans to expand the system’s constellation to nearly 300 satellites by 2027.

Meanwhile, Russia has launched mass production of electronic warfare systems designed to suppress Starlink signals, seeking to offset Ukraine’s advantage in using the system.