Ukrainian front line 'would collapse' if Starlink is turned off, Musk claims

U.S. tech billionaire Elon Musk claimed on March 9 that the entire front line in Ukraine would collapse if he shut off Starlink satellite internet services.

Starlink internet terminals have played a crucial role in securing communications in the war in Ukraine. Last year, Ukraine said that approximately 42,000 terminals were in operation across the military, hospitals, businesses, and aid organizations.

The U.S. has threatened to cut off Ukraine’s access to Starlink if Kyiv doesn’t agree to a critical minerals deal, Reuters wrote in late February, citing sources. Musk denied these reports back then.

The planned signing of the agreement was disrupted after a clash between U.S. President Donald Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office. In early March, Washington halted U.S. military aid and intelligence sharing for Ukraine in an attempt to push Kyiv to peace talks with Moscow.

In a post on X, Musk, a close ally of Trump, proposed to impose sanctions "on the top 10 Ukrainian oligarchs, especially the ones with mansions in Monaco." This was in reaction to a post by Republican Senator Mike Lee, who called for cutting funding for Ukraine.

One social media user wrote that Musk ignores the fact that Russia is an aggressor and Ukraine is a victim in the all-out war.

"I literally challenged (Russian President Vladimir) Putin to one on one physical combat over Ukraine, and my Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian army. Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off," Musk replied.

Musk described Russia's full-scale war as "years of slaughter in a stalemate," adding that Ukraine would "inevitably lose."

"Anyone who really cares, really thinks, and really understands, wants the meat grinder to stop. Peace now!" he wrote.

As concerns about Starlink's availability escalated, Ukrainian officials said the country was working on alternatives to the U.S. service. French satellite operator Eutelsat Communications is in talks with the European Union to possibly replace Starlink in Ukraine.

Musk, who Trump has tasked with eliminating "fraud" and "waste" from the government budget, has called for shutting down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), an organization that provides vital humanitarian aid to Ukraine. He has also amplified Russian disinformation and mocked Zelensky for calling Ukraine an independent country.