Elon Musk secretly ordered his engineers to turn off his companys Starlink satellite communications network near the Crimean coast last year to disrupt a Ukrainian sneak attack on the Russian naval fleet , according to an excerpt adapted from Walter Isaacsons new biography of the eccentric billionaire titled Elon Musk.
As Ukrainian submarine drones strapped with explosives approached the Russian fleet, they lost connectivity and washed ashore harmlessly, Isaacson writes.
Musks decision, which left Ukrainian officials begging him to turn the satellites back on, was driven by an acute fear that Russia would respond to a Ukrainian attack on Crimea with nuclear weapons, a fear driven home by Musks conversations with senior Russian officials, according to Isaacson, whose new book is set to be released by Simon & Schuster on September 12.
Musks concerns over a mini-Pearl Harbor as he put it, did not come to pass in Crimea. But the episode reveals the unique position Musk found himself in as the war in Ukraine unfolded. Whether intended or not, he had become a power broker US officials couldnt ignore.
Start calling twitter "Russian state media" every time someone posts a link to it
Musks concerns over a mini-Pearl Harbor as he put it, did not come to pass in Crimea. But the episode reveals the unique position Musk found himself in as the war in Ukraine unfolded. Whether intended or not, he had become a power broker US officials couldnt ignore.The US government should start "not ignoring" him in a completely different way. Treat him as an enemy combatant.
I wonder if they can bring war crimes against him, considering that he effectively worked as a Russian asset to allow Russia to attack and kill civilians.
wasn't this really due to Ukraine not paying for the use of StarlinkNo
wasn't this really due to Ukraine not paying for the use of Starlink
That was a separate thing, IIRC, but that also happened. Musk put up a poll asking if Ukraine should just give up Crimea and when Ukraine complained about it he threatened to turn Starlink off because "he was giving it away for free and it costs a lot to operate." but he never actually followed through.This is why the federal government seize starlink in the name of national security.
This is why the federal government seize starlink in the name of national security.
I don't think the US government actually has that power without formally declaring war on Russia. Keep in mind right now we're just "helping" and not involved directly, so the US government's ability to trigger and use war powers isn't at play.Not only for Russia but in general. Musk (or any private citizen) cannot be allowed to have that much control. Expropropriate without compensation.
wasn't this really due to Ukraine not paying for the use of StarlinkNo, it was because after talking with Putin, Muskrat went all-in on "preventing escalation" (ie actually driving out the Russian invaders instead of letting them keep a bunch of Ukraine).