Elon Musk Responds After Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Credits SpaceX With Saving Thousands of Lives

Elon Musk said he is "trying to do the right thing" after former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov credited Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ:SPCX) with blocking unauthorized Russian use of Starlink in Ukraine, saying the intervention protected the country’s air defenses and saved civilian lives.

Musk Responds After Ukraine Credits SpaceX

"Trying to do the right thing. I hope there is peace soon," Musk wrote on X on Monday in response to Fedorov’s praise.

In a CBS News interview on Monday, Fedorov called Musk "probably the most important tech person and entrepreneur in the world for our country." He said Musk and SpaceX, by shutting down Russia’s illegal Starlink use on Ukrainian territory, "protected our air defense, saved our air force, and spared thousands of civilian lives."

Fedorov also told CBS that he remains in contact with Musk as Ukraine considers whether Starlink could help target Russian ballistic-missile launchers. "We need to defeat Russia in every technological cycle, and we have to make decisions 24/7," he said.

Starlink Crackdown Disrupts Russian Battlefield Communications

Ukraine’s relationship with Starlink dates to Russia’s 2022 invasion, when Fedorov publicly appealed to Musk to activate the service. Musk responded within hours, and Ukraine now uses tens of thousands of terminals for battlefield communications and some drone missions.

Musk later broadened Starlink’s permitted use to "anything to help Ukraine."

According to a Reuters source, the crackdown disrupted Russian communications and helped shift battlefield momentum. Ukraine now faces a new threat as Moscow accelerates its Rassvet satellite network, which Kyiv warns could eventually operate "like Starlink." A report last week said Russia targets 292 satellites by 2027 and 924 by 2035.

Musk’s Past Starlink Limits Shadow Cooperation

Musk’s role has not always aligned with Kyiv. Reuters reported he ordered Starlink coverage restricted during a 2022 Ukrainian counteroffensive amid fears of nuclear escalation. SpaceX later disputed that account and has said Starlink remains committed to Ukraine.

Fedorov nevertheless described the latest cooperation as "an invaluable contribution to our defense."

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