Finland asks Musk for help: Starlink could be used to hunt down Russian missile launchers attacking Ukraine

Finnish President Alexander Stubb has asked Elon Musk to extend Ukraine's use of the Starlink satellite internet service to Russian territory as well. This would allow the Ukrainian army to use drones controlled via satellite link to attack the mobile Russian missile launchers from which ballistic missiles are fired at Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure.

Stubb gave an interview to Reuters in New York, on the occasion of the UN General Assembly. He said he had personally approached the owner of SpaceX because extending Starlink to Russian territory could save lives. This would allow Ukrainians not only to try to intercept missiles that have already been launched, but also to destroy launch positions deployed a few hundred kilometers from the border before the missiles are even fired. The satellite link would help control Ukraine's long-range drones, track their targets in real time, and defend against Russian electronic jamming. The goal would be for Ukraine to destroy on the ground the mobile missile launchers against which it currently has extremely few effective means of defense.

The request comes against the backdrop of a worsening missile shortage in Ukraine's air defense. Currently, the American Patriot systems are primarily capable of reliably intercepting ballistic missiles, but Ukraine is receiving fewer and fewer interceptor missiles for them. According to earlier statements by Volodymyr Zelensky, in 2026 allies delivered only a third as many air defense missiles as a year earlier, with resupply also complicated by the war in the Middle East and depleted stockpiles worldwide. Meanwhile, Moscow is accelerating its production of ballistic missiles and is also deploying North Korean weapons; according to Ukrainian estimates, Russia may be capable of firing up to a hundred ballistic missiles a month at logistics centers, industrial facilities, warehouses and energy targets. Kyiv fears that the Russian army will again launch systematic attacks on the country's electricity and heating networks during the winter months.

Starlink has been one of the most important elements of the Ukrainian army's communications since 2022, but SpaceX restricts the geographic use of the service. The network does not work for Ukrainian weapons on Russian territory, and Musk has previously repeatedly opposed the use of his system for deep strikes. Ukraine's leadership has already asked Donald Trump for help in persuading Musk, but no decision has yet been made on lifting the restriction. According to Stubb, Ukraine urgently needs three things before winter: air defense, equipment to restore its energy infrastructure, and financial support. The Finnish president does not expect the war to end before winter, so he is pushing for the preparation of a separate winter support package. He would also support an unconditional ceasefire, which could later be followed by negotiations on security guarantees, occupied territories, reconstruction and reparations. So far, however, Moscow has given no sign that it is ready to halt its attacks on Ukraine.

Related