Ukraine Bestows Order of Freedom on Musk for Starlink’s Battlefield Impact
Elon Musk Honored for Starlink’s Role in Ukraine’s Defense
Recognition of Contributions
Aug 26 (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has bestowed one of Ukraine's top state honours on SpaceX owner Elon Musk as Kyiv seeks to expand use of the company's Starlink terminals, which provide battlefield communications for Ukrainian forces.
Under a presidential decree published on the presidential website on Wednesday, Musk was awarded the Order of Freedom.
The decree praised Musk "for outstanding personal contributions to protecting human life and freedom, and for developing relations between the peoples of Ukraine and the United States of America."
Starlink’s Impact on the Battlefield
Enabling Communications and Drone Operations
Musk switched on the Starlink satellite internet service over Ukraine shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. It has become the lifeblood of Ukraine's battlefield communications and a tool for piloting drones.
Disabling Russian Access
Musk agreed to turn off thousands of Russian "grey-market" Starlinks in Ukraine this year, causing problems for Russian forces, at the behest of former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov before he was dismissed in July.
Ukraine’s Request for Expanded Starlink Use
Targeting Russian Military Assets
Ukraine has now asked to use Starlink over Russian territory as it seeks to attack targets including launchers for ballistic missiles that are wreaking destruction on Ukrainian cities.
Concerns and Feedback from Musk
Escalation Risks
Zelenskiy has said he was told that Musk opposed the move as a "major escalation" of the war, but that Ukraine had "started to receive a different, more encouraging feedback."
Potential Impact on Russian Capabilities
Using Starlink over Russian territory could reduce capabilities that Russia is relying on to drag out the war, Zelenskiy said.
(Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka in Gdansk; Editing by Daniel Flynn and Timothy Heritage)