A Ukrainian official has criticized Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, for ordering engineers to deactivate Starlink’s satellite network over Crimea last year. The move was intended to prevent a Ukrainian attack on Russian warships. According to a new biography of Musk, he questioned his involvement in the conflict during an interview with author Walter Isaacson.

When Russia invaded Ukraine, Western governments provided Kyiv with weaponry and defense systems, and Musk’s Starlink terminals were among the supplies. However, Musk later changed his stance on the situation. He stated that Starlink was designed for peaceful purposes, such as providing internet access for education and entertainment, not for military operations. Musk expressed concerns that a Ukrainian attack on Russian vessels could lead to a nuclear war. These details are revealed in Isaacson’s upcoming book, titled “Elon Musk,” set to be released on Tuesday.

Following the revelation, a top aide to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized Musk for allowing the Russian fleet to attack Ukrainian cities. Mykhailo Podolyak expressed his frustration on social media, stating that Musk’s decision had resulted in civilian casualties.

The Crimea peninsula, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, is home to the Russian Black Sea warships. During Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Black Sea fleet launched missiles at Ukrainian coastal cities and imposed a devastating naval blockade.

Ukraine’s digital minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, had requested Starlink capability from Musk on Twitter. He later posted a photo showing Starlink equipment in Ukraine. Starlink, a global network of over 4,000 satellites operated by SpaceX, has played a crucial role in battlefield communications in Ukraine.

Isaacson mentioned that Musk’s decision was discussed in a phone call with President Joe Biden’s national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley. Additionally, Musk engaged in a texting conversation with Fedorov, who pleaded with him to restore Starlink’s connectivity for a Ukrainian submarine drone attack on the Russian warship fleet. Musk refused, believing that such an attack would lead to a major escalation of the conflict.