Last week, various news sites reported on excerpts from an upcoming biography of Elon Musk. These excerpts alleged that Musk intentionally disabled Starlink satellites over the Crimean coast to impede a potential Ukrainian submarine drone attack on Russian ships. However, just before the release of Walter Isaacson’s biography, the Washington Post and CNN have clarified that the initial excerpt “mischaracterized” Musk’s motives.
According to the clarification, it has been revealed that Musk had already deactivated the Starlink satellites long before learning about the potential attack. Prior to the incident, Musk had “geofenced” the coverage within 100 km of the Crimean coast. When the Ukrainians discovered this, they asked Musk to reactivate the coverage, but he declined.
This recent interpretation of events significantly changes the perception of Musk’s actions. Previously, he was depicted as responding to a proposed attack on Russia, suggesting a more direct involvement in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. However, in this revised version, Musk is reported to have disabled Starlink preemptively, and when approached by Ukrainian officials to reinstate the service, he refused. This places him further removed from the immediate dynamics of the conflict.
The correction made by the Washington Post raises important questions about the accuracy of Musk’s involvement and the credibility of Isaacson’s sources. It challenges the initial narrative that portrayed Musk in a different light.
Walter Isaacson’s biography is scheduled to be released on September 12th, providing further insight into Elon Musk’s life and actions.