In late September 2022, during Ukraine’s counteroffensive to reclaim territory from Russia, Elon Musk ordered a shutdown of Starlink satellite internet service in critical areas, including Kherson.
This previously unreported decision disrupted Ukrainian military operations, causing communication blackouts that affected troops, drones, and artillery units.
According to sources familiar with the incident, Musk instructed a senior SpaceX engineer to deactivate coverage, impacting at least a hundred Starlink terminals in regions like Kherson and parts of Donetsk.
The sudden loss of Starlink connectivity stalled Ukraine’s efforts to encircle Russian forces in Beryslav, east of Kherson.
Soldiers faced challenges coordinating movements, and drones lost surveillance capabilities, hampering long-range artillery accuracy.
Although Ukraine eventually reclaimed Beryslav and other areas, the outage delayed progress and highlighted vulnerabilities in relying on a single provider for battlefield communications.
Musk’s ability to influence military outcomes through Starlink has sparked concerns about the power of private companies in global conflicts.
The incident, coupled with a recent hours-long global Starlink outage on July 25, 2025, due to a software issue, underscores the risks of dependence on Musk’s satellite network.
As Starlink continues to dominate satellite internet with over 7,900 satellites, governments worldwide are reevaluating their reliance on a service controlled by one individual.