Chapter 70: Ukraine: 2022

When Russia invades Ukraine in February 2022 and destroys communications infrastructure, Musk and SpaceX rapidly deploy thousands of Starlink terminals to restore Ukrainian military and civilian connectivity. However, by September 2022, Musk becomes deeply conflicted when Ukrainian forces attempt to use Starlink to guide drone attacks on Russian positions in Crimea, leading him to secretly disable coverage in that region—a decision that sparks international controversy and raises questions about Musk's outsized influence over military operations.

Russia's February 24, 2022 invasion of Ukraine begins with a cyberattack that cripples the country's communications infrastructure. Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov appeals to Musk via Twitter for Starlink assistance. Musk agrees, and SpaceX begins delivering terminals within days. By early March, as Russian jamming intensifies, Musk personally directs daily engineering meetings and arranges shipments of solar panels and Tesla batteries to power terminals in areas without electricity. Within weeks, Starlink provides critical connectivity for Ukrainian military command centers, special operations units, and civilian infrastructure, reaching 15,000 terminals by July. The deployment generates significant positive press and military interest; SpaceX contributes approximately $80 million in equipment and services, with additional funding from government agencies and private donors including billionaire Marc Benioff.

In September 2022, Musk enters crisis mode when he learns that the Ukrainian military is using Starlink to guide drone submarines targeting Russian naval assets near Sevastopol in Crimea. Viewing this as recklessly escalatory and potentially triggering nuclear war, Musk secretly instructs engineers to disable Starlink coverage within a hundred kilometers of the Crimean coast. The disabled drones wash ashore harmlessly. When Ukrainian officials, including Fedorov, contact Musk urgently requesting he restore coverage, he refuses and engages U.S. officials including National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mark Milley to discuss keeping Starlink limited to defensive purposes. Musk also assures the Russian ambassador that Starlink is being used defensively only.

Musk then publicly proposes a peace plan calling for new referenda in Russian-controlled regions, accepting Crimea as Russian territory, and Ukrainian neutrality outside NATO. The proposal provokes international backlash, forcing Musk to walk back his comments slightly while reasserting SpaceX's $80 million commitment to Ukraine. In early October, Musk extends restrictions by disabling coverage in some Russian-controlled regions of southern and eastern Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Gwynne Shotwell argues that SpaceX should not indefinitely subsidize military operations; the Pentagon should pay through its Foreign Military Sales program. A contract is negotiated for $145 million in Pentagon funding to cover continued service, but when the arrangement leaks to the press, Musk faces backlash and withdraws the request, tweeting that SpaceX will continue funding Ukraine for free despite ongoing losses. Shotwell views this as capitulation to Twitter criticism. Secret encrypted exchanges with Fedorov reveal tension between Musk's fear of nuclear escalation and Ukraine's desperate need for unrestrained Starlink access to liberate occupied territories.

By year's end, SpaceX arranges government funding for expanded Starlink service in Ukraine and develops Starshield, a companion military service enabling the U.S. government—rather than Musk—to control how satellite connectivity is deployed in conflict zones. Over 100,000 new dishes are sent to Ukraine in early 2023.