Zelenskyy awards Musk Ukraine’s order of freedom for Starlink role

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday awarded Elon Musk the Order of Freedom, one of Ukraine’s highest state honours, for his “outstanding personal merits” in protecting human life and freedom and strengthening ties between Ukraine and the United States.

Musk, the founder of SpaceX, has become one of the most influential and contentious private sector figures in Ukraine’s war effort. His decision to provide Ukraine with access to Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet network, was critical. It remains a communications lifeline for Ukrainian forces and civilians after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

Starlink has become deeply embedded in Ukraine’s military operations, with commanders and soldiers relying on satellite connectivity to communicate and coordinate operations. That dependence has given Musk influence over Ukraine’s military capabilities, a source of concern.

Musk’s decision-making could shape Ukraine’s future military capabilities. Ukraine’s president is hoping he will reconsider allowing Starlink to operate over Russian territory so Ukrainian forces can maintain satellite connectivity for longer-range drone attacks targeting Russia’s military and economic infrastructure.

There was no immediate Musk comment on the award, which was announced by presidential decree.

The technology has been integrated into Ukraine’s drone operations, helping operators maintain links with drones and navigate them over longer distances. Ukraine’s access to Starlink is the main reason its middle-strike drone campaign, which caught Russian forces off guard and undermined their logistics lines earlier this year, reported early successes.

Musk has allowed the Ukrainians to use Starlink inside their own territory, including in Ukrainian regions occupied by the Russians, but has restricted use of the satellite system inside Russia.

SpaceX’s decision earlier this year to accept Kyiv’s pleas and block unauthorised Starlink terminals being used by Russian forces in occupied territory also strengthened Ukraine’s position.

The campaign has put pressure on Russian logistics in Crimea, giving Ukrainian forces a degree of battlefield momentum that Kyiv has not enjoyed since its successful counteroffensives around Kherson and Kharkiv in late 2022.

Musk is both a crucial partner for Kyiv and a potential source of vulnerability and dependence. As Starlink has become embedded in Ukraine’s wartime communications, Musk and SpaceX have significant influence over how the technology can be used. Musk’s decisions can have direct consequences for Ukraine’s military capabilities, making it important that Kyiv preserve a positive relationship.