Musk ready to allow Ukraine to use Starlink for strikes on Russia, but with a condition - FT

American billionaire Elon Musk reportedly told former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov that he is ready to allow the use of Starlink on Ukrainian drones for strikes on targets inside Russia. However, according to him, the relevant political decision must be made by the White House.

This was reported by Financial Times citing people familiar with the conversations between Musk and Fedorov.

According to the sources, Musk indicated to Fedorov that he is ready to allow Ukraine to use Starlink-equipped drones beyond Ukrainian territory to strike Russian targets.

At the same time, the SpaceX founder told the Ukrainian side that the issue of such use of the satellite system must be resolved at a political level in Washington.

Fedorov declined to comment to the Financial Times on the content of his conversations with Musk.

Fedorov advocates for stepping up long-range strikes

In an interview with the FT, the former defense minister also stated that he considers increasing Ukrainian long-range strikes on Russia the most realistic way to force the Kremlin to change its position on the war.

According to him, for this Ukraine needs to attract additional investment in the production of weapons capable of hitting targets at long range.

Fedorov is currently in the US, where he is seeking investors for a new defense technology fund. The structure is to invest in Ukrainian military developments and create new companies in the fields of robotic systems, interceptor drones, and low-cost AI-enabled missiles.

The possibility of using Starlink on long-range drones is particularly important because stable satellite communication can ensure data transmission and control of the devices at significant distances. At the same time, the FT report does not imply that the White House has already made a decision on such use of the system.