Volodymyr Zelenski awards Elon Musk Ukraine's Order of Freedom

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski has awarded American billionaire and SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk the Order of Freedom of Ukraine by presidential decree, while Kyiv is also seeking Musk's permission to let Ukrainian drones use the company's Starlink network over Russian territory.

The presidential decree praises Musk for "the protection of people's lives and freedom and the development of relations between the peoples of Ukraine and the United States of America."

Starlink's battlefield role and a February 2026 disruption

SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet has been credited with helping Ukrainian forces maintain communications and coordinate operations since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022. In February 2026, SpaceX disabled thousands of Starlink terminals that Russian forces were using, a move that reportedly weakened their military capabilities.

Ukrainian officials are pressing Musk to allow the military use of Starlink links on drones operating inside Russia. Kyiv argues that such access would improve the accuracy of missile strikes and long-range drone attacks deep inside Russian territory.

Asked about the request, Zelenski told reporters: "For now, Musk says that would be an escalation. But he might change his mind when he sees more arguments."

The Order of Freedom is frequently granted to foreign leaders in recognition of support for Ukraine; recent recipients listed by authorities include Emanuel Makron, Endi Barnam and Gitanas Nauseda.

Photo: press material from the event