‘Save Lives’: Stubb Urges Musk to Expand Starlink Access for Ukraine

Finnish President Alexander Stubb has appealed directly to Elon Musk to expand Starlink coverage so Ukraine can strike Russian ballistic missile launchers before they are used against Ukrainian cities.Stubb made the appeal in an interview with Reuters in New York on Thursday, Sept. 24.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.“I plead that Elon Musk would give the Ukrainians the possibility to ​use Starlink in areas where there are ballistic missile launchers,” Stubb said.He specified that the requested access should cover Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory and areas inside Russia, arguing that the measure could save lives.Starlink could help Ukraine hunt launchersStarlink has become essential to Ukraine’s battlefield communications and is also used to control some drones. However, the SpaceX-operated satellite network does not currently function over Russian territory.Ukrainian officials believe activating it there for Kyiv’s use would improve communications with long-range weapons and help Ukrainian forces target mobile Russian ballistic missile launchers positioned several hundred kilometers from the border.Russia increasingly relies on ballistic missiles to attack Ukrainian cities as their speed and trajectory make them particularly difficult to intercept. Currently, Ukraine depends primarily on US-made Patriot systems to destroy them in flight.President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that Patriot interceptors are needed “practically every day” after Russia launched three waves of ballistic attacks on Kyiv. Other Topics of Interest Ukrainian Drone Barrage Hits Russian Refineries, Missile-Parts Plant The targets included the Lukoil-Permnefteorgsintez refinery, Russia’s Iskra defense plant, and the Novoshakhtinsk refinery in Rostov Oblast. Ukraine’s available supply remains limited despite Kyiv recently securing an unspecified new Patriot package.Stubb suggested that allowing Ukraine to destroy launchers before missiles are fired could serve as an additional layer of air defense while Kyiv waits for more interceptors.Musk has resisted expanding accessZelensky had previously asked US President Donald Trump to persuade Musk to authorize Starlink-guided Ukrainian strikes against missile launchers inside Russia.In July, Kyiv presented expanded Starlink coverage as a way to reduce its reliance on scarce and expensive Patriot missiles.Musk subsequently refused to authorize the network’s use for strikes inside Russia, arguing that the war should be ended through negotiations. Trump also reportedly declined to intervene on Ukraine’s behalf.SpaceX currently permits Ukrainian use of Starlink within Ukraine, including parts of Russian-occupied territory, while blocking access across Russia itself.Musk previously restricted Starlink connectivity around Crimea during planned Ukrainian operations against Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, citing concerns that enabling an attack could lead to an escalation of the war.Stubb urges winter support for UkraineStubb said Ukraine needs three forms of urgent support before winter: stronger air defenses, protection for energy infrastructure, and additional financing.He argued that Starlink access could contribute to the first of those priorities by helping Kyiv locate and attack the systems used to launch ballistic missiles.The Finnish leader said he did not expect the war to end before winter and urged Ukraine’s partners to prepare a coordinated support package.Stubb also backed Trump’s call for an unconditional ceasefire, followed by negotiations concerning security guarantees, territory, reconstruction, and compensation.If a comprehensive ceasefire remains impossible, he said, the next-best option would be a limited agreement covering attacks on energy infrastructure and grain shipments.Russia has not publicly agreed to either proposal and continues attacking Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.