Gen. Mark Milley, the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Gen. Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, the leader of Ukraine’s armed forces, discussed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the use of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet technology during a call in March. Zaluzhnyi wanted to ensure continued access to Starlink for communications and discuss covering the cost of the service.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has launched thousands of Starlink satellites into orbit since 2019, with over 4,500 satellites currently active. This satellite internet technology is being used in war zones, remote areas, and disaster-hit locations for internet access. Ukraine relies on Starlink for coordinating drone strikes and intelligence gathering, and activists in Iran and Turkey are using it as a way to bypass government controls. The US Defense Department is a major customer, and other countries like Japan are testing the technology.

However, concerns have been raised about Musk’s control over satellite internet. Musk has restricted Starlink access multiple times during the war in Ukraine, affecting battlefield strategy. His ability to control access to the service and leverage sensitive information has worried political leaders and militaries around the world.

Ukrainian officials have looked into alternative satellite internet providers but acknowledge that none rival Starlink’s reach. Other countries, including those in Europe and the Middle East, have also expressed concerns about Musk’s power over the technology. Despite these concerns, US officials have said little publicly about Starlink as they balance domestic and geopolitical priorities related to Musk. The US government uses SpaceX rockets for NASA missions and military surveillance satellites, and senior Pentagon officials have tried to mediate Starlink-related issues.

1. Joint Chiefs of Staff URL: https://www.jcs.mil/

2. Ukrainian Armed Forces URL: https://www.mil.gov.ua/en/

3. Starlink URL: https://www.starlink.com/

4. SpaceX URL: https://www.spacex.com/

5. US Defense Department URL: https://www.defense.gov/

6. NASA URL: https://www.nasa.gov/

Note: The mentioned article does not provide specific websites for alternative satellite internet providers or countries expressing concerns about Starlink. Therefore, no additional links are provided.

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