Asia Techonomics: Is Elon Musk deciding between life and death in Myanmar?

It was not the military leadership in Kiev, but Elon Musk's space company SpaceX that decided in October how fast Ukrainian drones could fly. Interceptor drones from the country attacked by Russia suddenly lost connection to SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service as soon as they flew faster than 160 kilometers per hour.

The company introduced the speed limit without warning. Musk accused Ukraine of violating the terms of service with offensive drone strikes. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke of a big mistake that would cost lives. Only after extensive criticism from supporters of Ukraine did SpaceX lift the restrictions.

The enormous influence that the richest man in the world can exert in conflict zones via Starlink is now also evident in other parts of the world. In Myanmar's civil war, activists and human rights groups warn that Musk's actions endanger the lives of civilians.

Since the military coup in February 2021, government troops have been fighting resistance groups in the Southeast Asian country. As a result of the conflict, around 80 of Myanmar's 330 districts have been cut off from traditional telephone and internet services, according to non-governmental organizations. Starlink's satellite internet terminals have established themselves as the most important alternative in areas with a total population of more than 13 million.