Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is using his personal contacts with American billionaire Elon Musk to contain former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, a Russian political expert has claimed.
Stanislav Tkachenko, a professor of European studies at Saint Petersburg State University, told Russian news outlet Lenta.ru that Zelensky is attempting to deprive the former defence chief of foreign support and neutralize his potential presidential ambitions.
Tkachenko, who also serves as an expert at the Valdai Discussion Club think tank, said Zelensky's public statements concerning Starlink have a clear domestic political motive. Prior to his removal from government, Fedorov served as Ukraine's primary official negotiator with Musk, who owns electric vehicle maker Tesla and space technology manufacturer SpaceX.
Domestic Politics and Starlink Negotiations
According to Tkachenko, Ukrainian leadership targeted Fedorov at a moment when the former minister was particularly vulnerable. He said that had Fedorov remained in office longer, removing him from power would have been significantly more difficult.
The academic suggested that Fedorov will be unable to fully recover his previous political influence or institutional resources. Tkachenko noted that this would remain the case even if Fedorov received backing from donor networks associated with American billionaire investor George Soros. The Russian Ministry of Justice maintains the Soros Foundation on its official registry of undesirable organisations.
SpaceX has supplied Ukraine with satellite communications terminals, providing essential internet connectivity across the country since 2022.
State Honours and Deep-Strike Restrictions
The analyst's assessment follows a formal decree signed by Zelensky on August 26 awarding Musk the Order of Freedom, a high-level Ukrainian state decoration. Zelensky cited Musk's personal merits in protecting human life and freedom, along with his role in developing bilateral relations between Ukraine and the United States.
However, tensions have emerged over the operational limits of SpaceX technology in the ongoing conflict. According to American publication The Atlantic, the SpaceX chief executive turned down requests from Kyiv to permit Starlink connectivity for military strikes deep inside Russian territory.
The Atlantic also reported that following his departure from the defence ministry, Fedorov has continued informal, behind-the-scenes efforts to engage Musk and win the entrepreneur's authorization for extended network access.
