Link: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/10/ukraine-learns-to-fight-without-starlink-as-musk-plays-politics-with-satellites/

It's odd to see Americans siding with Russia, to be honest.

Politics is a weird way to spell super-villian.

With musk and a idiot POTUS. ? , where have you lived the last 2 years

Musk isn't American

The fascist right sure are distilling a super capable super advanced foe for themselves without meaning to. I look forward to the day they find out Ukraine trained the modern allies to kick their asses in the next world war.

Someone should tell the government that.

They'd just let him in anyway, since white South Africans are the only immigrants that this admin tolerates

Apparently he has citizenship of the USA and Canada as well as South Africa:

According to Isaacson’s biography and an Esquire magazine profile of Musk, he became a US citizen in 2002

I wonder if this is Putin directly threatening Musk with the destruction of Starlink. Starlink is SpaceX's only profitable business. It brings in over 60% of the companies revenue. Though if Russia initiated or accelerated the Kessler syndrome, everyone would be pissed so probably a bluff...

TIL

I’m not sure that it would be practical to take out starlink. They’re small satellites in an enormously large space. I guess we don’t know what we don’t know about space weaponry.

By that logic neither are millions of naturalized citizens...

I imagine some truly ugly people believe that.

That would be an another incredible display of stupidity and lack of insight on Musks part. Folding to a mere threat is worse than any physical attack for starlink as a defense contractor. Russia almost certainly lacks the ability to significantly damage the constellation, while losses would be covered by insurance and other means. Forcing Putin into action would either call his bluff or show his hand. The world would see a demonstration of Russian ant satellite technology and be able to adapt. A kinetic approach would probably go Kessler syndrome and even if not, it receive very severe international condemnation and pushback from everyone with a space program including China and India. A electronic attack would get a workaround eventually and still piss off everyone who operates in that hemisphere.

It's insane that obscene wealth has made him an American potentate, with great influence over not only our domestic policy, but foreign as well.

Not because Elon is strong, but because America is weak.

Good way for Musk to make sure there'll be a lot more competition in that sector at a rapid pace.

Freedom of association is both moral and good.

By the logic of the regime he supports, that US citizenship should be revoked, and he should be deported, because he illegally immigrated to the US.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/oct/26/elon-musk-illegal-immigration

https://www.yahoo.com/news/elon-musk-illegal-immigrant-abused-162201531.html

https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2024/10/26/elon-musk-powerful-critic-of-illegal-immigrants-worked-illegally-in-us-at-start-of-career-report-says/

If Trump and Elon and MAGA don't need to abide by US immigration law, I can also just say fuck no, no he is not a US Citizen, by their own logic.

Eitherway, he definitely wasn't born in the US.

Millions of naturalized citizens aren't coming here, stealing billions of dollars from our citizens, then weaponizing their positions of power to help an enemy of the state wage an imperial war against an ally while illegally pumping millions of dollars into political campaigns to curry favor that allows them to continue acting in a brazenly illegal way.

But yeah, my stance is definitely the same as the xenophobic shit that conservatives believe.

Its far easier and more likely that Putin has compromat on Elon and is just telling him what to do. Its the most likely reason Trump and Elon are in lock step over the Ukrainian Starlink problems. Putin is really pressured over the recent increased range of Ukrainian attacks and wants it to stop so will risk his prime assets.

Even trump isn't dumb enough to think the pitiful amount of fuel he buying from Putin will impact fuel prices in the US, but it does give Putin some signifcant short term funds for laundering Iranian oil.

Iran is making out gangbusters from this whole shebang. Tolls on shipping, more cash from the US via Russian drone orders. It's almost like Trump & co. are imbeciles.

And he won't be considered in bids.

America (the government) is siding with Russia. Americans are not.

Musk made the call to limit their connection.

Who the fuck voted for him?

not me.

-- An American

Nobody.

Or Iike Trump Iran and putin are working this all together

He's the CEO of the company that owns the sats. Unfortunately he can do that if he wants. I'm glad it happened. Yet more fuel for the fire to get away from American tech. We will never recover our world leadership, America's done.

Other countries are accelerating plans. While I'm glad the world is ditching our tech, we need a kick in the teeth, I hate to see several competing constellations up there.

But they're being persecuted back home!!!

Trump still has an approval rating of 30%. And those mfs are in favor of everything Trump does, including siding with Russia.

If I've learned anything, it's how incredibly adaptable Ukrainians are.

And he'll get pissy about it and try to sue them.

30% does not make a country.

It does make a big chunk of a country. A few rotten apples spoils the whole bunch, as the saying goes.

Between him being given massive government contracts and Melania being the first lady, I don't think America really has a problem with illegal immigrants. Just the poor illegal immigrants.

Then they need to stop their government.

Until then, it’s Americans, because they collectively are responsible for their government.

Now, I guess I’ll take excuses again.

If the best the other 70% can do is throw dildos at nazis, then yes it does.

But the migrants Americans want are what makes America great.

Musk is now a true American.

That changes nothing

If more than 30 % do not care at all, less than 30 % are actually opposed and 30 % are like this... well guess what that means.

We will see at the midterms.

Nah, America loves poor illegal immigrants, too. They're super exploitable what with the constant fear of deportation. They're just not allowed to feel like equals.

30% don’t give a fuck and/or are easily manipulated into not voting so it doesn’t really matter. The world has long given up hope on America righting the ship until you all prove otherwise. It’s been a decade of y’all pushing the line back. Can’t imagine you are one country in 50 years.

I'd hate that, too. But I fears it's pretty inevitable by the logic of the world we live in. The Ukraine war has shown the military importance of such a system and Musk has made clear that having control of it is a strategic matter. So prepare for every block of power in the world to want their own constellation...

I hate how our future is turning into the shittiest Sci-Fi I can think of.

MARK plays russian politics with PUTIN, and with turmp.

his (former stepsister)mother/father moved to canada, because they were mad apartheid was ending in South africa.

he did turn it off in 2022, right when putin was getting mad, and shortly after he met with putins propagandist team in QATAR i believe(car racing events).

What a fucking sentence. This would be hammy villain building in a Bond story, yet it's true.

It's wild to think that the frontrunner in miltech and modern tactics is going to be Ukraine in future wars. The big powers will be begging to collab on their huge practical knowledge.

Pretty sure they hand had plans for this and greater treason from their "ally" for a long time.

Europe have been riding the coat tails of America with space infrastructure. Are only now looking to replace GPS. ESA will hopefully learn some lessons from starlink and make them less reflective and cause less environmental damage when they fall back down.