SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has refused to allow Ukraine forces to use his Starlink satellite internet service for drone strikes deep inside Russia’s territory, Ukrainian officials say. Access to the satellite network would be a significant help to Ukraine, currently experiencing heavy Russian bombardment and a shortage of American Patriot interceptor systems. During a meeting at the White House on July 28, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked US President Donald Trump to arrange talks with Elon Musk to discuss allowing the Ukrainian military to use Starlink but Musk refused. Former Defence Minister Mykhailo Federov, who reached an agreement with Musk to block Russian troops from accessing the Starlink network earlier this year, is reportedly trying to contact Musk through unofficial channels. Starlink has proved vital to Ukraine on the battlefield over the years, with Kyiv leaning on it heavily for access to the internet, communications and controlling its fleet of drones.