Zelensky awards Elon Musk with the Order of Freedom
Vladimir Zelensky awarded Elon Musk with one of Ukraine's highest state awards, the Order of Freedom. According to media reports, Ukrainian officials are currently trying to persuade Musk to allow the Ukrainian Armed Forces to use Starlink to target targets in Russia.
Zelensky awards Elon Musk with the Order of Freedom
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a decree awarding Elon Musk, the head of SpaceX and Tesla, and an American entrepreneur, with the Order of Freedom. The document was published on the official website of the Ukrainian president.
According to the decree, Musk was awarded "for his outstanding personal services in protecting human life and freedom, as well as for his contribution to the development of relations between the peoples of Ukraine and the United States of America."
According to Politico, this decision was made against the backdrop of Kiev's efforts to persuade Musk to expand the capabilities of the Starlink network.
The Order of Freedom is one of Ukraine's highest state awards, established in 2008. It is surpassed only by the title of Hero of Ukraine and the Cross for Combat Merit, established after the outbreak of a large-scale war. The order is awarded to Ukrainian citizens and foreigners for their outstanding services to strengthening the country's sovereignty and independence, developing democracy, implementing reforms, and protecting human rights and freedoms.
Notable recipients of the order include former Ukrainian President Leonid Kravchuk, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, former French President Francois Hollande, and former US President Joe Biden.
Musk's Starlink satellite internet service has been helping Ukrainian forces maintain communications and coordinate military operations since Russia began its large-scale invasion in 2022. In February 2026, SpaceX disabled thousands of Starlink terminals used by Russian forces, crippling their military capabilities.
Ukraine is currently trying to persuade the tech mogul to allow its military to use the Starlink network inside Russian territory. This would allow Ukraine to increase the accuracy of missile and drone strikes inside Russian territory.
"So far, Musk believes that this decision will increase escalation. But he may change his mind when he sees more evidence," Zelensky told reporters last Saturday (quoted by Politico).