Zelensky Awards Elon Musk Ukraine’s Order of Freedom
Ukraine has awarded Elon Musk the Order of Freedom after SpaceX worked with Kyiv to curb Russia’s unauthorized Starlink access, underscoring the billionaire’s pivotal but contentious role in the war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has awarded Elon Musk the Order of Freedom, one of the country’s most prestigious state honors, despite years of disputes with the billionaire over Starlink, the war and Ukraine’s political leadership.
A presidential decree published on Wednesday cited Musk’s “outstanding personal merits in protecting human life and freedom” and his contribution to relations between Ukraine and the U.S.
The award follows SpaceX’s work with Kyiv to curb Russia’s unauthorized use of Starlink, including terminals Ukrainian officials said were being mounted on attack drones.
A Strained But Critical Relationship
Starlink has played a central role in Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Musk activated the service after an appeal from then-Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
Tens of thousands of terminals have since supported communications for civilians, government institutions and the military.
The system has also become increasingly important for Ukrainian drone operations, providing more resilient links in areas affected by Russian electronic warfare.
But Russian forces also obtained terminals despite SpaceX saying it did not sell Starlink in Russia or work with the Russian government or military.
By early 2026, Kyiv said Russian units were increasingly using Starlink on attack drones, allowing operators to maintain connections over longer distances and resist electronic disruption.
Ukraine appealed directly to SpaceX in February. Musk responded publicly to Fedorov as Ukrainian and company engineers worked on measures to restrict unauthorized Russian access.
Years of Disputes
The award comes after repeated disagreements over how Ukraine should be allowed to use Starlink.
Musk has argued that the network was intended for communications rather than long-range strikes and has warned that attacks on Russian targets could escalate the war.
A 2025 media investigation said Musk ordered Starlink coverage shut down in parts of Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory during Kyiv’s 2022 counteroffensive, disrupting Ukrainian military operations.
He also rejected a request to activate Starlink near Sevastopol for operations against Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, saying SpaceX risked becoming “explicitly complicit in a major act of war and conflict escalation.”
The relationship later became more political.
Musk questioned continued Western support for Ukraine, called for a negotiated end to the war and criticized Zelensky directly.
He also backed calls for Ukrainian elections despite martial law, under which national voting has been suspended since February 2022.
Kyiv Seeks Expanded Access
Despite those tensions, Ukraine remains heavily dependent on Starlink.
Kyiv is now seeking Musk’s approval to extend the use of Starlink-equipped drones for strikes deeper inside Russia.
Ukrainian officials believe the technology could help target mobile Russian and North Korean ballistic-missile launchers when they move into firing positions.
Musk has so far refused to approve the request.
