Elon Musk is a new biography from former Time editor Walter Isaacson. Issacson’s purpose in writing the book appears to be to Trumpify Musk and bolster Ukraine’s President, who is now portraying Mr. Musk as “committing evil” — a child murderer who turned off Starlink communications during a key Ukrainian assault.
“How am I in this war?” Musk said to Isaacson. “Starlink was not meant to be involved in wars. It was so people can watch Netflix and chill and get online for school and do good peaceful things, not drone strikes.”
CNN reports that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk personally had his engineers cut off power last year to a Starlink network near Crimea, in order to ensure that Ukraine couldn’t attack Russia’s warships.
Isaacson writes that Ukrainian submarine drones “lost connectivity and washed ashore harmlessly” after Musk’s order went through. The book claims he left Ukraine “begging him to turn the satellites back on,” but Musk told Isaacson he feared nuclear war would be the result if he did so, like a “mini-Pearl Harbor.”
The Washington Post notes eventually Musk restored service, after pleas from Ukrainian and US officials. The Guardian acknowledges previous reporting on Musk’s warnings to disrupt Starlink communications in Ukraine, but it adds that “this is the first time it has been alleged he cut off Ukrainian forces in the middle of a specific operation.”
That paper also cites a study published last week by the European Commission that showed Musk’s Twitter (the platform now known as X) played a significant part in spreading Russian propaganda about its invasion of Ukraine.
Right, and about that EU Commission. The EU Commission just passed a Digital Services Act that will prevent all global platforms from allowing people to see what they deem as inaccurate or hateful. What they don’t realize is truth cannot prevail under the censorship regime they are establishing.
Mr. Zelensky’s spokesperson wrote on X that children were killed because of Mr. Musk turning off Starlink near Crimea.
Mr. Musk couldn’t turn Starlink off at the borders because he never turned them on. Elon Musk had made the decision from the beginning to block Kiev from using Starlink satellites to attack Crimea. Zelensky was infuriated and forgot how to be grateful for all the Musk was doing for him.
Mikhail Podoliak wrote on behalf of President Zelensky Friday. Musk is “committing evil,” suggesting that maybe he doesn’t know he is by adding a question mark. Zelensky’s spokesperson made it into a personal attack, stabbing Mr. Musk in the ego.
Sometimes a mistake is much more than just a mistake. By not allowing Ukrainian drones to destroy part of the Russian military (!) fleet via #Starlink interference, @elonmusk allowed this fleet to fire Kalibr missiles at Ukrainian cities.
As a result, civilians, children are being killed. This is the price of a cocktail of ignorance and big ego. However, the question still remains: why do some people so desperately want to defend war criminals and their desire to commit murder? And do they now realize that they are committing evil and encouraging evil?
“The obvious intent being to sink most of the Russian fleet at anchor,” he wrote on X.
“If I had agreed to their request, then SpaceX would be explicitly complicit in a major act of war and conflict escalation.”
Zelensky and his aides say this is “evil.” Some online have gone right to demands for dictatorial rule – nationalize SpaceX’s systems that affect Ukraine.
Mr. Musk gave Zelensky Starlink communications for no cost when Ukraine had nothing.
The truth is quite different from what the media is reporting. Musk didn’t turn anything off. He never turned Starlink on in those controversial border zones because he did not want this technology near borders where it would escalate the war.
Keep Mr. Zelensky’s attitude in mind. Mr. Zelensky told CNN in April of last year, “Don’t fear nuclear war. Be ready.”
“We should not be afraid” of nuclear war — we should “be ready.”
How exactly should “we” get ready for nuclear war? Bring back the old “duck and cover” drills? Say our prayers?
Does anyone really believe Mr. Musk turned off Starlink to thwart Ukraine? Mr. Musk said he refused to allow his technology to be used to escalate a war that threatens a nuclear holocaust. An attack on Crimea would have done exactly that.
