Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and Elon Musk Ukraine is seeking Elon Musk’s help to locate and destroy Russian ballistic missile launchers, as Kyiv faces a growing threat from weapons it lacks the defences to reliably intercept. Former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov is reportedly trying to keep informal channels open with the SpaceX owner, but Musk has so far resisted changing his position. Zelenskyy Makes Fresh Appeal for Starlink According to The Atlantic, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy raised the issue during his latest White House meeting with Donald Trump, seeking help to use Starlink to identify Russian missile batteries before they can strike Ukrainian cities. Trump reportedly gave no definitive response. The request comes as Kyiv looks for ways to attack launchers directly rather than relying solely on limited supplies of ballistic missile interceptors. Fedorov Still Trying to Reach Musk People close to Fedorov say the former minister has continued attempts to reach Musk through informal channels since leaving office. But there has been no breakthrough. One source said Musk remains concerned that further military assistance could provoke greater Russian escalation, while continuing to argue that the time has come for a deal. A Previous Intervention Changed the Battlefield Fedorov has previously managed to persuade Musk to restrict Russian access to Starlink. The move, reportedly agreed during a phone call in late January, helped Ukraine regain momentum and launch counteroffensive operations. Several hundred square kilometres of territory were subsequently retaken from Russian forces, underlining the strategic importance of the satellite network to Ukraine's military operations. Kyiv Turns to the Launchers Themselves The latest push comes as Ukraine confronts an acute shortage of systems capable of intercepting Russian ballistic missiles. There has been no official confirmation that Zelenskyy made the reported request, but Kyiv has repeatedly stressed the importance of destroying missile launchers before they can fire. Ukraine now faces a stark calculation: find more ways to hit Russian launch sites, or risk watching increasingly powerful ballistic strikes punch through its already stretched air defences. Strikes on launchers: Former defense minister Fedorov tries to persuade Musk to help Ukraine
