Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski claims responsibility for restricting Russian access to Starlink terminals, demanding respect from Elon Musk.
Sikorski Takes Credit for Musk’s Actions
Radosław Sikorski stated he experienced a satisfying political moment when the Institute for the Study of War relayed Ukrainian gratitude for his appeal to Elon Musk. Sikorski suggested he used “a bit of blackmail” to get Musk to take the issue seriously, resulting in restricted Russian access to Starlink terminals.
The minister explained that approximately 30,000 Starlink terminals paid for by Poland were listed, with those not on the “white list” being disconnected. This prevents Russians from using the terminals to target moving trains or buses, according to Sikorski. He added that reports indicate Russian forces had to return to paper maps due to their own internet systems working poorly on the front lines.
Sikorski-Musk Confrontation
The confrontation began when Ukrainian Defense Ministry reported that Russia was equipping some of its drones with American Starlink satellite communication systems, making the drones less vulnerable to Ukrainian electronic warfare.
In response, Sikorski directly addressed Elon Musk: “Hey, big guy, why don’t you stop Russians from using Starlinks to attack Ukrainian cities. Earning from war crimes could damage your brand.” Musk reacted dismissively, calling Sikorski a “slimy idiot” who doesn’t realize Starlink is the foundation of Ukrainian military communications.
Poland’s Support for Ukraine
According to Michał Gramatyka, Deputy Minister of Digitization, Poland purchased 24,560 Starlink terminals for use by Ukraine and pays monthly subscription fees for these terminals and for 5,150 terminals provided by other entities between 2022-2024.
Poland spent nearly 323 million zlotys to ensure communication coverage in Ukrainian territory during this period.
