Stubb called on Musk to open up Starlink for strikes deep inside Russia

Finnish President Alexander Stubb said on Thursday he pleaded with SpaceX owner Elon Musk to ​expand Starlink satellite internet coverage for Ukraine so it can strike Russian ballistic missile launchers located inside Russian ‌territory, Reuters reports.

With winter looming, Ukraine has an acute shortage of air defenses to repel Russian ballistic missiles, and Kyiv officials believe that turning on Starlink over Russian territory would help it target the Russian launchers that fire the missiles.

"That's why ... 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.

The Finnish leader, a staunch ally of Ukraine ⁠who also has good relations with US President Donald Trump, made the remark in an interview with Reuters in New York where ​world leaders have converged for the annual gathering at the United Nations.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy used the event to press hard for ceasefires that would ​cover strikes on targets related to energy infrastructure and vessels in the Black Sea. Russia has given no public indication it wants to see such arrangements.