Elon Musk is accused of foiling a Ukrainian drone attack on a Russian ship off Crimea after denying them access to the Starlink satellite network.

Ukraine has been forced to abort several planned drone strikes against Russian targets after Elon Musk refused to allow access to the Starlink satellite network for offensive military maneuvers, a report said.

Kiev recently planned to remotely pilot a drone to launch an explosive attack on a Russian naval ship at a Black Sea base in occupied Crimea.

But the SpaceX CEO, 52, denied the Ukrainian military use of his Starlink network — whose services he offered to Kiev earlier in the war — and forced army chiefs to call off the attack, according to a report by the New York Times.

In the aftermath of the aborted attack, Ukrainian army chief Valery Zaluzhnyi reportedly contacted US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley.

Zaluzhnyi said it was “disturbing” that Musk had deflected several planned attacks.

But the billionaire, who offered his network of satellites to support Ukraine’s wartime communications in the months following Russia’s February 2022 invasion, has insisted from the start that his technology is “for peaceful use only.”

A handout photo made available by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Service shows Valeriy Zaluzhnyi (C), Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, attending an event marking Ukrainian State Day at Mykhailivska Square in central Kyiv . Ukraine, July 28, 2023

Musk, who offered his network of satellites for free in 2022 to support Ukraine’s wartime communications, has insisted from the start that his technology is “for peaceful use only”

Musk’s Starlink satellites have provided vital comms support to Ukraine’s military since Russia’s invasion

The latest controversy over the use of Starlink for offensive military maneuvers comes after SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell formally announced in February that the company would limit Ukraine’s use of Starlink for military purposes.

Shotwell stated that the service can be used for typical communications and humanitarian efforts, such as connecting families and hospitals.

The service had enabled Ukrainians to benefit from uninterrupted, independent and secure internet access amid Russia’s consolidated missile strikes that caused significant damage to Ukraine’s communications infrastructure.

In many cases, Starlink satellites became the only means of communication for Ukrainian forces at the front.

Starlink’s terms of service document clearly states, “Starlink is not designed or intended for use with or in offensive or defensive weapons or other similar end uses.”

But the Ukrainian military had used the technology to fly drones that carried anti-tank grenades and destroyed Russian tanks and army trucks.

In recent months, Kiev has pioneered the use of “kamikaze” drones for the navy – unmanned craft loaded with explosives that are floated towards Russian warships and detonated on impact.

It has also used seafaring drones to destroy or damage infrastructure controlled by Moscow, most notably a stretch of the Kerch Bridge connecting occupied Crimea to mainland Russia.

Drones used in the field can use the Starlink to stay connected and deliver information as internet and power outages ravage Ukraine

A dramatic video has shown Ukraine stepping up its use of kamikaze boats to attack Vladimir Putin’s warship in the Black Sea

In response to the most recent aborted attack due to Musk’s restriction of Starlink service to the Kiev armed forces, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak has told The Telegraph: ‘The problem is that at critical stages of the war we desperately need absolute operational and technical independence.

‘That means that the dependence on decision-making and implementation must be 100 percent. The risks for our armed forces are too great if the course of offensive operations depends on external circumstances or third parties.’

Other commentators, including European Council on Foreign Relations senior fellow Ulrike Franke and NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, have criticized Musk’s decision, with the former stating that “no individual should have this power” and the latter that “defense against a genocidal invasion is not an offensive capability. It is survival.”

But the SpaceX CEO has pointed out that his company provided free vital communications support to Kiev and continues to provide the services.

Meanwhile, the US Department of Defense purchased thousands of Starlink terminals in June to secure continued communications support for the Ukrainian military.

“We continue to work with a range of global partners to ensure Ukraine has the resilient satellite and communications capabilities it needs.

“Satellite communications is a vital layer in Ukraine’s overall communications network and the department contracts with Starlink for this type of service,” the Pentagon said in a statement.