Presidential adviser Serhiy «Flash» Beskrestnov has stated that he does not expect the Starlink satellite internet service to be shut down in Ukraine. In a post on 11 October, he explained his assessment by citing the stable partnership with SpaceX and the company’s commercial interests. The statement came against the backdrop of a new wave of rumours following Elon Musk’s political comments.
Briefly about the main points
- Beskrestnov predicts that Starlink will continue to operate in Ukraine.
- He cited the partnership with SpaceX and the company’s commercial interests as the reasons.
- In Ukraine, authorised terminals are operational, whilst unauthorised ones are restricted.
- The rumours intensified following Elon Musk’s political statements.
- «Flash» described Starlink access in Russia as a possible but unconfirmed scenario.
The adviser’s forecast is based on ongoing collaboration with SpaceX
Beskrestnov said Elon Musk first and foremost an entrepreneur, and believes that the Ukrainian market is commercially important for SpaceX. In his view, Kyiv’s relations with the company remain good and stable. This is a prediction by the presidential adviser, not an official decision by SpaceX or a guarantee that the terms of the service will remain unchanged.
Official cooperation between the parties is also continuing on practical matters. Since 4 February, a state authorisation scheme for terminals has been in force in Ukraine Starlink, as agreed with SpaceX: devices on the «whitelist» can operate, whilst unauthorised ones are disabled. The mechanism is designed to prevent Russian forces from using the service, particularly on drones.
Concerns intensified following Musk’s political comments
According to «Flash», a new wave of concern among Ukrainian military personnel began after Musk endorsed a post by the US President Donald Trump. The adviser added that rumours about the service possibly being shut down crop up regularly, and hostile Telegram channels are further spreading them.
Musk’s comments regarding the criticism of the president also formed part of the political backdrop Vladimir Zelensky and Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries. At the same time, the restrictions currently in place in Ukraine apply to unauthorised terminals, rather than a general suspension of the service for verified users.
The adviser described internet access in Russia as one possible scenario
Beskrestnov suggested that granting access to Starlink within Russia could be an unexpected decision. He did not specify any timelines, conditions or any indications that SpaceX had already taken such a decision.
This assumption relates to the potential expansion of network access and does not constitute an announcement of the service’s launch in Russia. Nor does it alter the adviser’s assessment of the future operation of authorised terminals in Ukraine.
