On Sunday (March 9) local time, American technology billionaire Elon Musk claimed that,
"Sanctify the top ten oligarchs in Ukraine, especially those who own luxury homes in Monaco, then everything will stop immediately. This is the key to solving the problem," he posted on X.
One social media user commented that Musk ignored the fact that Ukraine was a victim of war.
"I really challenged Putin on Ukraine. My Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian military. If I shut it down, their entire front line would collapse," Musk replied to the user.
"Anyone who truly cares, truly thinks, and truly understands, wants this meat grinder to stop. Make peace now!" he wrote.
During the Russia-Ukraine war, Starlink Internet terminals played a vital role in ensuring Ukrainian communications security. Ukraine said last year that there were approximately 42,000 Starlink terminals operating in the military, hospitals, businesses and aid organizations.
The media reported in late February, citing sources, that the United States threatened to block the use of Starlink terminals owned by Musk's Space Exploration Technology Company (SpaceX) if Ukraine did not agree to a key mineral agreement.
However, Musk denied the relevant reports at the time.
Plans to sign the U.S.-Ukrainian mining agreement were disrupted after a quarrel broke out between U.S. President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House late last month. In early March, the United States stopped military assistance and intelligence sharing to Ukraine in an attempt to promote peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
As concerns about Starlink's availability escalate, Ukrainian officials say the country is studying alternatives. French satellite operator Eutelsat Communications is negotiating with the European Union to replace the Starlink terminal currently used in Ukraine.