Ukraine is seeking permission to equip long-range drones with Starlink satellite terminals to strike Russian ballistic missile launchers up to 200 kilometres inside Russian territory, a move that would require the approval of SpaceX owner Elon Musk.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy raised the request during a July meeting at the White House, asking President Donald Trump to intervene with Musk to allow Starlink use beyond Ukraine's borders. Trump appeared evasive and did not endorse the plan, according to people present in the Oval Office. Kyiv proposed the 200-kilometre cap hoping it would ease approval.
Musk has signalled he would not consent, arguing the step would escalate the war and urging a deal between Moscow and Kyiv. Starlink's satellite network enables drones to maintain strong operator links at greater distances than conventional radio. The push comes as Ukraine faces a shortage of Patriot interceptors, its primary defence against ballistic missiles.