The President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, has called on Elon Musk to extend Starlink coverage to Ukraine in areas where Russian ballistic missile launchers are located. He said that access to satellite communications in the occupied territories and in areas bordering Russia could help Ukraine target mobile launch complexes before missiles are launched.
Briefly about the main points
- Stubb approached Musk regarding the expansion of Starlink.
- These are areas where Russian missile launchers are located.
- Ukraine wants to be able to detect and engage launch complexes more quickly.
- Starlink is currently not operational in Russia.
What the President of Finland proposed
Alexander Stubb told Reuters in New York that he had personally urged the owner of SpaceX Elon Musk to provide Ukraine with greater opportunities to use Starlink. This primarily concerns areas where Russia is deploying mobile ballistic missile launchers.
According to Stubb, access should extend to both the occupied territories of Ukraine and certain areas of Russia, if this is necessary to take out missile systems.
«I am asking Elon Musk to allow Ukrainians to use Starlink in areas where ballistic missile launchers are located,» Stubb told Reuters.
The President of Finland explained his position by saying that the ability to strike launchers before the missiles are fired could reduce the number of attacks and save lives.
Why Ukraine needs to expand its Starlink coverage
Starlink It became one of the key communication channels for the Ukrainian military following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. The system is used for data transmission, coordinating units and operating unmanned aerial vehicles.
At the same time, the service does not operate within Russian territory. Ukrainian officials believe that Expansion of the Starlink coverage area It could help to deploy Ukrainian systems against mobile missile launchers located several hundred kilometres from the border.
It is precisely the mobility of such systems that makes them difficult to detect and engage: the launcher may change position after the missile has been fired, or even before its exact location has been pinpointed.
Stubb outlined Ukraine’s three key needs ahead of winter
The President of Finland also stated that, with winter approaching, Ukraine is in desperate need of three things: strengthening air defences, protecting and restoring energy infrastructure, and providing financial support.
He effectively classified Starlink as part of a broader system to counter Russian missile attacks, as the communications network can be used for rapid target detection and data transmission. Stubb noted that Ukraine’s partners are currently working on putting together a «winter package», as, in his view, the war will not end before the start of the cold season.
Russia has stepped up its use of ballistic missiles
Stubb’s statement came against the backdrop of an increase in the number of Russian missile attacks. Over the summer, Russia reached a record high in its use of ballistic missiles against Ukraine. At the same time, such targets remain among the most difficult to intercept.
Ukraine’s air defence system relies heavily on Patriot systems, which are capable of intercepting ballistic missiles. At the same time, the stockpile of anti-missile munitions is limited, and Kyiv continues to ask its partners for additional systems and ammunition. This is precisely why the Ukrainian side is increasingly talking not only about intercepting missiles in the air, but also about the need to destroy their launch vehicles before they are launched.
Finland supports the idea of a ceasefire
In an interview with Reuters, Stubb also spoke about possible negotiations to end the war. In his view, the simplest option would be unconditional ceasefire, following which negotiations could begin on security, territories, reconstruction, compensation and other issues.
The President of Finland also raised the possibility of a freeze on hostilities along the current line of contact, with buffer zones, describing this as one of the potential scenarios. He considers a partial ceasefire regarding attacks on energy infrastructure and shipping to be an alternative option.
These statements were made against the backdrop of intensified US diplomatic contacts with Kyiv and Moscow and discussions regarding a possible mutual cessation of attacks on the energy sector.
Will Musk agree?
At the time of publication, Elon Musk had not publicly announced any decision to expand Starlink’s coverage in response to the Finnish President’s appeal. Therefore, this is currently specifically a political appeal by Stubb, rather than an already agreed change to the system’s operational coverage.
If SpaceX were to change these restrictions, this could affect the ability of Ukrainian units near the border to use satellite communications, as well as during operations against Russian mobile missile systems.
