Following revelations in a book, Mykhailo Podolyak has expressed strong criticism regarding Elon Musk’s actions that disrupted a critical Starlink satellite signal during a Ukrainian drone operation.

The Ukrainian presidential adviser condemned Elon Musk for indirectly enabling Russian forces to launch attacks on Ukrainian cities. This came to light as it was disclosed that the Starlink satellite communications system interfered with a drone operation in Ukraine.

The incident’s details can be found in Walter Isaacson’s upcoming biography of Musk, set to be released on Tuesday. According to the book, the Starlink network disabled communications near the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula just as Ukrainian drones were approaching Russian warships, leading to a loss of connectivity.

Reportedly, Musk ordered Starlink engineers to deactivate the communications out of concern that Russian President Vladimir Putin might respond with nuclear weapons if Ukrainian drones succeeded in targeting Crimea. “I believe that if the Ukrainian attacks had succeeded in sinking the Russian fleet, it would have been akin to a small-scale Pearl Harbor and would have escalated into a major conflict,” Musk is quoted as saying. “We did not want to be a part of that.”

Sometimes a mistake is much more than just a mistake. By not allowing Ukrainian drones to destroy part of the Russian military (!) fleet via #Starlink interference, @elonmusk allowed this fleet to fire Kalibr missiles at Ukrainian cities. As a result, civilians, children are…

— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) September 7, 2023

Podolyak’s Critique

Mykhailo Podolyak took to X, the social media platform owned by Musk (formerly known as Twitter), to launch a scathing attack on the tech mogul. In his post, Podolyak accused Musk of indirectly permitting Russian warships to launch Kalibr missiles at Ukrainian cities by preventing Ukrainian drones from striking them. He claimed that this action resulted in civilian casualties, including children.

This isn’t the first time Podolyak has criticized Musk. In February, he posted, “In a year of Ukrainian resistance, companies must decide whether they stand with Ukraine and the right to freedom without causing harm or side with Russia and its ‘right’ to seize territories and kill.”

Starlink’s Role

SpaceX’s Starlink service, featuring a rapidly expanding network of over 4,000 satellites in low Earth orbit, has been utilized by Ukrainian forces for various purposes, including battlefield communications. SpaceX has provided Starlink to Ukraine and its military since the start of the conflict in 2022, thanks to private donations and a separate contract with a U.S. foreign aid agency.

Musk’s Alleged Russian Sympathies

Musk has previously faced allegations of promoting Russian narratives, including the suggestion that certain parts of occupied Ukraine should be handed over to Russia. The European Commission also released a report indicating that X (formerly known as Twitter) played a significant role in disseminating Russian propaganda.

In Isaacson’s book, Musk expressed his dissatisfaction with Starlink’s involvement in conflicts, stating, “Starlink was not designed for involvement in wars. It was meant to provide people with the ability to watch Netflix, engage in peaceful activities, and access online education, not to facilitate drone strikes.”

Source: with agencies