Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov, an adviser to the president of Ukraine on technological innovations in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has rejected renewed rumours that Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet service, is about to be switched off for Ukrainian troops. His comments were reported by Ukrainian news agency УНН on 12 October 2026 and by Ukrainian outlet АНТИКОР on 10 October 2026.
Key facts
- Beskrestnov — described by АНТИКОР as a military communications and radio technology expert as well as a presidential adviser — says rumours of a Starlink shutdown in Ukraine are groundless.
- His stated reason: Elon Musk is first and foremost a businessman, and Ukraine brings significant profit to SpaceX.
- Both outlets report him saying Ukraine and SpaceX have good and stable partnership relations.
- Both say the claims are being actively spread by enemy Telegram channels; АНТИКОР says those channels seek to heighten anxiety among Ukrainian troops.
Why it matters
Ukraine’s armed forces use Starlink for front-line connectivity, so even the expectation of a cut-off bears on military communications — which is why АНТИКОР treats the rumour itself as the payload, pushed at troops who depend on the service rather than at the government that would have to replace it. On the published record the prospect is a recurring alarm, not an announced plan.
For readers tracking satellite internet more broadly, the episode shows how a commercial service’s standing in one market is read off its owner’s politics — the same dynamic visible in his public clashes with Indian politicians over Starlink licensing.
What the adviser said
АНТИКОР quotes Beskrestnov saying: “Musk is first and foremost a businessman, and Ukraine brings significant profit to SpaceX, so I am confident that no one will disconnect Starlink in Ukraine.” УНН reports the same reasoning in its own wording, adding that good and stable partnership relations have been established between Ukraine and SpaceX. The argument rests on commercial logic, not on any commitment given by the company.
What triggered this round of rumours
УНН links the latest wave directly to Musk’s political activity. The agency reports that the day before its article, Musk — who it says had returned to the team of US leader Donald Trump — joined criticism of Ukraine’s president, saying Zelenskyy had gone too far, and that the shutdown talk started as soon as Musk supported Trump’s post. АНТИКОР ties the rumours to no single post, saying instead that talk of a disconnection appears regularly after Musk’s political statements and is then picked up by enemy Telegram channels.
Timeline of the two reports
| Date | Source | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| 4 October 2026 | Earlier report cited by УНН | Russia’s reported space-war threat over the blocking of “Rassvet” |
| 10 October 2026 | АНТИКОР | The direct quote; rumours attributed to Musk’s political statements in general |
| 12 October 2026 | УНН | The same reasoning, plus the Trump post and Musk’s criticism of Zelenskyy as the trigger |
Background: the Russian angle
In its report, УНН points readers to that 4 October story, in which, it says, Russia threatened a space war in the event of the blocking of “Rassvet”, warning that Starlinks would come tumbling down like ornaments from a Christmas tree. УНН does not elaborate on the threat in its piece on Beskrestnov, and АНТИКОР does not mention it. Separately, German officials have warned that Russian satellites could threaten Starlink — a development neither Ukrainian report connects to the shutdown rumours.
What the reports do not establish
Price, funding and availability
Anyone looking for Starlink cost or coverage figures for Ukraine will not find them here. Neither outlet states what the service costs, what any SpaceX contract is worth, who pays the subscriptions, how many terminals Ukrainian units operate, or how far civilian coverage extends. The sole commercial detail on the record is Beskrestnov’s unquantified “significant profit”, and neither report cites a published agreement against which it could be checked.
Verification
Both pieces rest on one named source, and neither carries a response from SpaceX or from Musk to the shutdown claims. Neither identifies the Telegram channels involved, measures how widely the rumours travelled, or describes any technical or contractual mechanism by which service to Ukrainian units could be switched off. For now the only position on the record is the adviser’s own: in his assessment, Starlink will not be disconnected in Ukraine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What other Starlink scenario did the adviser tell Ukrainians to consider?
According to АНТИКОР, Beskrestnov urged Ukrainians to weigh other possible scenarios beyond a shutdown. He said one potential surprise could be a decision to provide Starlink access to Russia on Russian territory.
Do the reports mention any alternative or backup to Starlink for Ukrainian units?
No. Neither УНН nor АНТИКОР names an alternative satellite provider, a contingency plan or any effort by Ukraine to reduce its reliance on Starlink.
Has Starlink actually gone down for Ukrainian forces?
Neither report describes an outage, suspension or change of service. Both present the shutdown only as an unverified claim circulating online, which Beskrestnov rejected.
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