Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, during his meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House, asked Trump to intervene to allow SpaceX owner Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet system to be used in attacks on military targets inside Russia. According to The Atlantic magazine, Zelenskiy directly conveyed this request to Trump during Tuesday's meeting.
Sources close to the meeting reported that Zelenskiy argued expanding Starlink access would enable Ukraine to use drones to destroy Russian missile launchers. With Ukraine bracing for intensified attacks on its energy infrastructure next winter, the strategy seeks to eliminate launchers before ballistic missiles are launched and to reduce reliance on the limited Patriot air defense batteries.
Denys Shtilerman, chief designer of the Ukrainian defense company Fire Point, described this approach as "We would shoot the archers instead of knocking down the arrows."
Elon Musk has long opposed Starlink being used in military operations, stressing that the system was designed for peaceful purposes. The Atlantic highlighted inconsistencies in Musk's position, noting that in September 2022 he denied Ukraine's request to use Starlink to strike Russian warships in Crimea, but in early 2026 he also prevented the Russian military from using Starlink for drones in Ukraine.
The report stated that Ukraine's main conduit to Musk had been Mykhailo Fedorov, who recently left his post as defense minister. After Fedorov's resignation, which came after he had prevented Russian soldiers from using Starlink, Kyiv's ability to engage with Musk was severely weakened, the report said. A source close to Fedorov said that weeks before his dismissal, the former minister had tried to convince Musk to allow the use of Starlink for attacks on internationally recognized Russian territory, and that Musk had responded that this might be possible "if Trump gives the order." The discussions broke off after Fedorov departed.
Trump said he would consider Zelenskiy's request to speak with Musk but made no firm commitment. The Atlantic reported that Zelenskiy wanted to meet directly with Musk during his US visit, but the businessman declined. An unnamed Ukrainian official said the Trump administration would be cautious about the request, adding: "Allowing Ukraine to act this way on its own territory is one thing. Using American technology to destroy air defense systems or ballistic missile launchers on Russian soil is entirely different. That is a hostile step. It is not known how Russia would respond."
Airstrike on Kramatorsk
The Russian military struck the city of Kramatorsk with guided aerial bombs on the evening of July 30. Local officials reported that the attack hit a residential area and that one of the strikes caused a fire in a multi-story apartment building. Two people were injured in the attack.
