ELON MUSK: We’re Curbing Starlink’s Use in Ukraine to Prevent WWIII.

Elon Musk this weekend defended SpaceX’s decision to curtail Ukraine’s use of the Starlink satellite internet system to launch drone strikes against Russia, citing the threat of “escalation.”

“Starlink is the communication backbone of Ukraine, especially at the front lines, where almost all other Internet connectivity has been destroyed,” Musk wrote(Opens in a new window). “But we will not enable escalation of conflict that may lead to WW3.”

Days earlier, SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell confirmed the company had taken steps to limit the Ukrainian military’s ability to use Starlink to pilot unmanned drones on the frontlines of the war. “It was never intended to be weaponized,” Shotwell said of Starlink’s battlefield uses. “On the other hand, they are trying to fight for their country.”

The best way to prevent escalation is to bring the war to a speedy conclusion. But Ukraine doesn’t have the weapons, Russia hasn’t been able to generate the combat power, and Biden doesn’t have the diplomatic chops.

So it looks like we’re stuck with Putin’s stupid war for a good while longer.