Zelenskyy asks Musk to restore Starlink: outages could cost lives

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on American billionaire Elon Musk to restore the full operation of Starlink terminals. He discussed problems with satellite communications and their consequences in an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan during an official visit to the United Kingdom.

The head of state stressed the critical importance of a stable connection for Ukraine, especially amid ongoing Russian attacks. He warned that disruptions could lead to loss of life.

“This is a big mistake, with many losses. These decisions will lead to numerous casualties. People are dying because of this decision. Of course, people are dying. If the attacks continue and Starlink does not work, that will certainly not help,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed.

According to the president, Ukrainian specialists understand how satellite communications work and can distinguish a technical malfunction from an intentional restriction on the equipment. He suggested that the drop in Starlink speeds and loss of signal could be linked to the terminals being switched off. At the same time, he did not identify a deliberate decision as the established cause of the disruptions.

“I sincerely hope this is a mistake, perhaps some serious technical problem—I don’t know. But we are asking them to turn it back on. And I think that would be honest and fair, and would be in keeping with the relationship between partners,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, addressing Elon Musk.

The president’s remarks did not specify which Starlink terminals are subject to restrictions, how much equipment has been affected by the disruptions, or who directly made the decision to switch them off. Ukrainian military personnel have also reported failures in the system: the loss of connection forced them to cancel drone sorties.

Relations between Kyiv and Washington were another topic of the conversation. The president expressed concern about their deterioration.

“We are losing a strong partner. That is my opinion,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

Piers Morgan asked whether he meant that Ukraine was losing America.

“Yes, but not because of us,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy replied.

In the Ukrainian president’s view, the current position of the U.S. administration could leave the United States on the wrong side of history.

The journalist also asked whether he felt betrayed by what was happening.

“I really do. But this is a little more complicated than just my emotions or my feelings. It does not depend on me. Our country has to survive,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed.

Previously, we reported:

• Military Starlink restrictions disrupted important Defence Forces missions
• Ukraine is creating its own Starlink alternative, Zelenskyy says
• Trump did not support expanding Starlink for Ukrainian strike drones in Russia — Financial Times
• A new sky for attacks: Russia is creating its own Starlink to control drones
• No Starlink, no control: Russia’s small assault-group tactics faltered