Elon Musk Fears Starlink Access In Ukraine Could Start Another World War

In order to prevent the Ukraine military from using his Starlink satellite internet service in a way that could "escalate a confrontation that may lead to World War III", Elon Musk has stated that he will place restrictions on its use. 

This came after former NASA Astronaut & US Navy Captain Scott Kelly questioned the billionaire about reports that Starlink would restrict access to the war-torn nation's military due to concerns that it was being weaponised.

On February 11, Mr Kelly tweeted, "@elonmusk Ukraine desperately needs your continued support. Please restore the full functionality of your Starlink satellites. Defense from a genocidal invasion is not an offensive capability. It's survival. Innocent lives will be lost. You can help. Thank you." 

In response, Twitter's new CEO stated that he will not allow escalation of conflict that may lead to WW3. "You're smart enough not to swallow media & other propaganda bs. Starlink is the communication backbone of Ukraine, especially at the front lines, where almost all other Internet connectivity has been destroyed. But we will not enable escalation of conflict that may lead to WW3," said Mr Musk. 

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As per a report in Fortune, the usage of Starlink in the war raises the possibility of dispute between SpaceX and the Ukrainian government. At a conference in Washington DC earlier this month, Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX's president and COO, criticised Kyiv's usage of the satellite internet service. She said, "It was never intended to be weaponized. Ukrainians have leveraged it in ways that were unintentional and not part of any agreement."

Since Russia bombed communications and power infrastructure in Ukraine, the country has relied on a network of 2,200 low-orbiting satellites as its lifeline. It is also to be noted that Starlink's terms of service document clearly states that it "is not designed or intended for use with or in offensive or defensive weaponry or other comparable end-uses."