Tech billionaire Elon Musk called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to “go” on Thursday, as Kyiv raised concerns that US restrictions on satellite communications and intelligence sharing were weakening Ukraine’s defenses against Russian attacks.
“And so the slaughter continues,” Musk wrote on X. “Time for Zelensky to go.”
JOIN US ON TELEGRAM
Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.
The dispute escalated after Ukraine reported restrictions on military Starlink services, which Ukrainian forces rely on for battlefield communications and drone operations.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 15, 2026
Zelensky warned that the restrictions could lead to significant casualties as Russia intensified attacks on Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure.
“It’s a big mistake,” he said. “This decision will bring a lot of human losses… People will die.”
He urged Musk, whose SpaceX operates Starlink, to restore the service, saying he hoped the disruption was the result of a technical problem.
Musk said on Wednesday that Starshield is owned and controlled by the US government, which determines restrictions on its use.
He distinguished it from Starlink, a commercial satellite network used by Ukraine for communications, and said it should not be used for offensive military operations.
The satellite dispute comes amid concerns that reduced US intelligence sharing could leave Ukraine more vulnerable to Russian missile attacks.
Other Topics of Interest
Trump Weighs Easing Shadow Fleet Sanctions to Lower Oil Shipping Costs
The move follows Trump’s decision to lift restrictions on Russian diesel, which drew criticism from President Volodymyr Zelensky, who warned it would help finance Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials told CNN that the loss of intelligence could give Russian forces an advantage on the battlefield. A European official also questioned Washington’s explanation that weather had caused gaps in missile-warning information.
For two consecutive nights, air raid alerts in Kyiv came only after Russian ballistic missiles were already approaching or striking the capital.
On Oct. 12-13, Russia launched successive ballistic missile attacks, hitting civilian infrastructure and a major power plant. Zelensky said Ukraine had received no advance warning of the launches from Western partners.
The Trump administration has previously warned it could suspend intelligence sharing and halt European purchases of US weapons for Ukraine if Kyiv refused to stop deep strikes on Russian energy infrastructure.
The growing dispute has also spilled into relations between Kyiv and Washington over energy policy.
Zelensky said he felt “betrayed” after US President Donald Trump announced a diesel supply deal with heavily sanctioned Russia.
Trump, facing key midterm elections next month, has blamed Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries for contributing to fuel shortages and rising prices at US gas stations.
Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.