In September 2022, SpaceX founder Elon Musk instructed his team to disable Starlink satellite communications in Ukraine's Kherson region during a planned military offensive by Ukrainian forces, according to a Reuters report citing three informed sources.
Approximately one hundred Starlink terminals reportedly lost connectivity, affecting not only Kherson but also other Russian-occupied areas, including parts of the Donetsk region.
Reuters' sources described the immediate impact: Ukrainian troops reportedly experienced panic, surveillance drones monitoring Russian positions became inoperable, and artillery units dependent on Starlink for targeting struggled to strike accurately.
The agency highlighted this as the first documented case of Musk deliberately cutting Starlink access amid active combat. Some SpaceX employees were reportedly "shocked" by the move, which sources claimed effectively altered battlefield dynamics, giving Musk direct influence over the conflict's trajectory.
Sources told Reuters that Musk acted over concerns that Ukraine's offensive might provoke a nuclear escalation from Russia—a view allegedly shared by certain U.S. officials.
SpaceX denied the claims, calling them "inaccurate" and reaffirming Starlink's commitment to maintaining services in Ukraine.