Ukraine views the expansion of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet to cover Russian territory as a critical operational necessity, according to Finnish President Alexander Stubb. Speaking on the war’s 1,675th day, Stubb revealed he personally pleaded with Elon Musk to extend the service, arguing that it would significantly enhance Kyiv’s ability to locate and strike Russian ballistic missile launchers positioned inside Russia’s borders.
The urgency stems from an acute shortage of air defense systems in Ukraine, which struggles to counter escalating Russian missile barrages. While Musk activated Starlink across Ukraine immediately following the full-scale invasion in 2022, transforming it into the backbone of Ukrainian battlefield communications and drone operations, the service currently remains inactive over Russian soil.
Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has engaged with senior executives from Wall Street during the UN General Assembly in New York, aiming to secure investments essential for the nation’s reconstruction. Facilitated by Citigroup and the US Chamber of Commerce, the meeting involved more than two dozen American firms. The government emphasized that discussions focused on stabilizing the economy and helping Ukraine survive the upcoming winter, as Russian strikes on infrastructure and export industries exacerbate a budget crisis with daily war costs now reaching approximately $190 million.
Security concerns were heightened by a report from Danish intelligence, which warned of a “low but growing risk” that Russia could launch a limited military attack against a NATO country in the coming months. The defense intelligence service cautioned about the possibility of long-range strikes on NATO infrastructure supporting Ukraine or small-scale incursions by troops operating without insignia. The report followed a fire at a Starlink station in central Poland, which authorities described as an act of sabotage.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte responded by affirming the alliance’s capability to manage such hybrid incidents, noting that robust action plans are already in place. Rutte suggested that the increasing frequency of these incidents indicates President Vladimir Putin is losing the war, urging citizens of the 32 member states to remain calm.
On the ground, Russian drone and missile attacks on Kyiv and the northeastern Kharkiv region killed eight people on Thursday. Zelenskyy reported two deaths in the capital, where explosions damaged homes, a post office, warehouses, and dozens of vehicles. In Kharkiv, a strike on a vegetable storage facility at a farm killed six people and injured 12 others.
In diplomatic developments, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan announced that Turkey is intensifying efforts to restore the Black Sea grain corridor. Speaking to journalists in New York, Erdogan confirmed he had discussed the issue with Zelenskyy, receiving a positive response, and stated that diplomatic steps to accelerate the agreement are underway.
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