Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski called on American entrepreneur Elon Musk to prevent the Starlink satellite communication from being used by Russian troops in Ukraine.
This is what Sikorsky wrote on January 27 in H.
“Hey, big man Elon Musk, why don't you ban the Russians from using Starlinks to strike Ukrainian cities? Making money on war crimes can damage your brand,” Sikorsky's post reads, while reposting a post by the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
In that publication, ISW claims that Russian forces are increasingly using Starlink to increase the range of strike drones.
Musk responded to accusations of “making money off war crimes” by emphasizing the critical role of his system in Ukraine's defense.
“This moron doesn't even realize that Starlink is the backbone of Ukraine's military communications,” Elon Musk wrote.
Previous public skirmish between Musk and Sikorsky
Last year, Sikorsky and Musk had a spat on the social network X. In March, the billionaire called the Polish Foreign Minister a “little man” in response to his remarks about the Starlink system.
The reason was Musk's statement that “Starlink is the foundation of the Ukrainian army, and the front line would collapse if I turned it off.” In response, Sikorsky recalled that Poland, among others, is financing satellite communications for Ukraine – in particular, the Ministry of Digitalization covers costs of about $50 million per year.
And on June 6, Sikorsky made fun of Musk's dispute with US President Donald Trump, hinting that political activity turned out to be more complicated than he imagined.
How Russia used Starlink in the war against Ukraine before and now
On February 10, 2024, media reported that Russian troops were likely using SpaceX's Starlink communications systems in Ukraine, indicating that Elon Musk's company is apparently currently helping the Russians.
On February 11, the Defense Ministry's GUR confirmed information about the use of Starlink by Russian occupiers on the front.
American billionaire and owner of SpaceX Elon Musk said that SpaceX did not directly or indirectly sell the Starlink satellite communication system to Russia.
On September 25, 2024, during a Russian attack, the Ukrainian Defense Forces shot down a Russian drone equipped with SpaceX's Starlink satellite communications, Defense Express wrote.
On January 27 this year, Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov confirmed that the Russians were equipping drones with Starlink satellite systems. On January 26, Advisor to the Ukrainian Defense Minister Serhiy “Flash” Beskrestnov reported that Russian BM-35 strike drones with Starlink can already reach the Dnieper. According to him, unlike the Molniya type UAV, this type of drone is “fuel-efficient” and can fly up to 500 km.