What Happened: The nonprofit, representing approximately 2 million Ukrainian-Americans, raised concerns about Starlink’s potential use by Russian forces in Ukraine, CNBC reported on Thursday.
The controversy intensified after Musk confirmed in September 2023 that he prevented Starlink activation over Crimea to thwart a Ukrainian attack on Russia’s Black Sea fleet in 2022. This admission came despite the Pentagon’s earlier agreement to purchase Starlink terminals for Ukraine’s defense efforts.
Environmental issues also feature prominently in the UCCA’s petition. The organization’s regulatory counsel, Arthur Belendiuk, highlighted concerns about SpaceX’s Boca Chica, Texas facility, citing damage to endangered species habitats and protected lands from rocket launches.
See Also: Santa Rally: 10 S&P 500 Stocks That Outperform In December’s Second Half
Musk previously denied allegations of Starlink sales to Russia, stating on social media that such claims were “categorically false.”
The opposition comes as SpaceX seeks to expand its Gen2 NGSO Satellite System for global internet coverage. The FCC’s response to the UCCA’s petition could potentially pause SpaceX’s approval process pending environmental review and conflict of interest resolution.
Read Next:
Image Via Shutterstock
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
© 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
To add Benzinga News as your preferred source on Google, click here.
