Budanov: Ukraine needs expanded Starlink access and Patriot interceptors to counter Russian missile strikes
Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's Presidential Office, said in an interview with Newsforce that Ukraine urgently needs expanded access to Starlink and Starshield satellite communications as well as interceptor missiles for Patriot air defence systems, in order to counter and strike Russian missile systems. A fragment of the interview was published on Budanov's Telegram channel on Sunday, 27 September.
Key points
- Budanov said Ukraine's current access to Starlink and Starshield capabilities is insufficient and that expanded coverage is needed.
- He linked Starlink and Starshield capabilities to striking Russian missile complexes that launch strikes on Ukrainian civilians.
- Budanov also said Ukraine critically needs interceptor missiles for Patriot air defence systems.
- The statements come from a Newsforce interview; a fragment was published on Budanov's Telegram channel on 27 September.
- Starshield is described in reporting as a militarized version of the Starlink satellite network.
- The issue of using Starlink for strikes on Russian territory has been the subject of months of negotiations involving Elon Musk, former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, and Presidents Zelensky and Trump.
- On 22 September in New York, Trump again redirected the issue to Musk, saying, "You need to talk about this with Elon (Musk)."
Why it matters
Budanov's statement is the most recent instalment in a months-long Ukrainian effort to obtain Elon Musk's permission to use Starlink for strikes on Russian territory. It sharpens the public case that satellite communications and air-defence interceptors are both required to take the fight to the launch systems hitting Ukrainian cities, and it underlines how a private actor's decision continues to constrain Ukraine's battlefield options despite ongoing diplomatic engagement with Washington.
What happened
Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's Office of the President, said in an interview with Newsforce that Ukraine urgently needs expanded access to Starlink and Starshield satellite communications capabilities, stating that current access is insufficient. He argued the capabilities are critically needed to counter and strike Russian missile complexes that launch strikes against Ukrainian civilians, and he separately said Ukraine critically needs interceptor missiles for Patriot air defence systems. A fragment of the interview was published on Budanov's Telegram channel on Sunday, 27 September.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
All five supplied sources are Ukrainian outlets, and they uniformly centre Budanov's call for expanded Starlink and Starshield coverage and Patriot interceptors as a direct response to Russian missile strikes on civilians. The reporting frames the dispute as a Ukrainian operational and humanitarian necessity and presents negotiations with Musk and Trump as an ongoing obstacle, emphasising Kyiv's willingness to cap any drone range at 200 kilometres from the border.
Where reporting differs
Sources disagree on whether Elon Musk has in any way approved or signalled willingness to allow Starlink use for strikes on Russian territory: the Kyiv Independent reports Musk remains opposed after "extremely unsuccessful" talks with former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov; Financial Times sources report Musk told Fedorov he was ready to allow such use conditional on White House approval; and Zelensky has said Ukraine's Defence Ministry under Fedorov told him Musk had "given the go-ahead," while also saying Trump accused him of "deceiving" Trump on that point. Reporting also diverges on whether Trump has engaged substantively: one strand says he did not express clear support in a July White House meeting, while another reports that during both an August Trump–Zelensky meeting and the 22 September New York meeting he simply redirected the issue back to Musk with the line "You need to talk to Elon about this," without endorsing or refusing.
Background
Starshield is described in the reporting as a militarised version of the Starlink satellite network. According to The Atlantic of 8 August, citing sources close to former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, Musk had not agreed to grant Ukraine access to Starlink for guiding strikes on positions from which Russia launches missiles. The Financial Times reported on 21 August, citing sources, that Ukraine was seeking Musk's permission to use strike drones equipped with Starlink against Russian missile installations up to 200 kilometres inside Russian territory, and that during a July White House meeting Zelensky asked Trump to raise the issue with Musk; Trump did not express clear support. The same FT reporting said Musk told Fedorov he was ready to allow Starlink-equipped drone use on Russian territory only if the White House approved. The Kyiv Independent reported on 31 August that Musk remains opposed, a position it said was solidified after "extremely unsuccessful" talks with Fedorov. On 23 September, NewsMax journalist Nana Sajaia reported that during a 22 September Trump–Zelensky meeting in New York Ukraine again raised the issue and Trump replied, "You need to talk about this with Elon (Musk)." Zelensky has separately said Trump accused him of having "deceived" Trump by claiming Musk had agreed to allow Starlink use for strikes deep into Russia, and said Ukraine's Defence Ministry under Fedorov had reported to him that Musk had "given the go-ahead."