Finnish President Alexander Stubb has called on Elon Musk to expand SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet coverage into parts of Russia and occupied Ukrainian territory. This move could enable Ukraine to locate and strike Russian ballistic missile launchers, potentially saving lives as Ukraine braces for a winter marked by expected increased attacks from Russia. With Ukraine facing severe shortages in air defense systems and interceptor missiles, Stubb emphasizes the importance of air defenses, energy infrastructure reinforcement, and financial support ahead of winter.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-25,
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Story summary
Finnish President Alexander Stubb has appealed to Elon Musk, owner of SpaceX, to expand Starlink coverage into parts of Russia and occupied Ukrainian territory where Russian ballistic missile launchers are based. This move is intended to help Ukraine locate and strike these launchers before they can fire missiles at Ukrainian targets. According to Stubb, this would save lives by giving Ukraine an advantage in defending against Russian attacks.
Ukraine is bracing for another harsh winter with a shortage of air defense systems as Russian ballistic missile strikes hit record levels this summer, straining the country's limited resources. Currently, Patriot systems are the only Ukrainian defenses capable of intercepting such missiles, but Ukraine lacks sufficient supplies to handle the increasing threat.
Written for “Finland Asks Musk Help Ukraine Winter…” on 2026-10-04,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb has urged SpaceX owner Elon Musk to expand Starlink coverage into parts of Russia, saying it could help Ukraine locate and strike Russian ballistic missile launchers.
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Ukraine → urge → launchers
Stubb said he had appealed directly to Musk to allow Starlink to work in areas where Russian missile launchers are based, including occupied Ukrainian territory and parts of Russia.
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launchers → say → Russia
He argued that such access could help Ukraine hit the launchers before they fire missiles at Ukrainian targets.
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they → argue → targets
I plead that Elon Musk would give the Ukrainians the possibility to use Starlink in areas where there are ballistic missile launchers, either in the occupied territory of Ukraine or in Russia for strategic purposes because that would save lives," Stubb said.
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Stubb → plead → lives
Ukraine faces a tough winter
Stubb's appeal comes as Ukraine prepares for another winter of Russian attacks and faces a shortage of air defence systems.
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Ukraine → face → systems
Russian ballistic missile strikes reached record levels this summer, putting further pressure on Ukraine's already limited air defence resources.
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strikes → reach → resources
Patriot systems are currently the only Ukrainian air defences capable of intercepting such missiles, but Kyiv's stocks of interceptor missiles are severely depleted.
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stocks → intercept → missiles
Ukrainian officials believe extending Starlink coverage into Russia could help their forces target mobile ballistic missile launchers located several hundred kilometres from the border.
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forces → believe → border
Musk activated Starlink over Ukraine shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.
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Russia → activate → 2022
The satellite internet service has since become vital to Ukraine's battlefield communications and is also used to operate drones.
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service → become → drones
Starlink, however, does not currently operate over Russian territory.
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Starlink → operate → territory
Zelenskyy pushes for ceasefires
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Zelenskyy → push → ceasefires
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been using the UN gathering in New York to push for ceasefires covering attacks on energy infrastructure and vessels in the Black Sea.
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Zelenskyy → use → Sea
Russia has given no public indication that it is ready to accept such arrangements.
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it → give → arrangements
Stubb said Ukraine needed three things ahead of winter, air defences, energy infrastructure and financial support.
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Ukraine → say → winter
So those are the things that we're working on.
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we → work → that
We're working on putting up a winter package because I don't see the war ending, you know, before the winter."
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you → work → winter
Stubb also welcomed the restart of US-led peace efforts between Russia and Ukraine, following visits by US envoys to Moscow and Kyiv in August.
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Stubb → welcome → August
He said the simplest way forward would be an unconditional ceasefire, followed by negotiations on security guarantees, territory, reconstruction and compensation.
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way → say → guarantees
"I still think that the easiest solution would be to call an unconditional ceasefire, basically stop the killing, as President Trump reiterated in his speech in the UN General Assembly," he said.
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he → think → Assembly
Stubb said another possibility would be to freeze the fighting along the current line of contact and establish 30-km buffer zones on both sides.
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possibility → say → sides
If that proves impossible, he said a more limited ceasefire covering energy and grain-related targets could be considered.
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ceasefire → prove → targets
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