Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on August 26 awarding Elon Musk, the head of SpaceX and Tesla, the Order of Liberty. The document cites Musk's "outstanding personal merits in protecting the lives of people and freedom, developing relations between the peoples of Ukraine and the United States of America."
The Order of Liberty is one of Ukraine's highest state awards, surpassed only by the title of Hero of Ukraine and the Cross of Military Merit, which was introduced after the start of the full-scale war. Previous foreign recipients include former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Polish President Andrzej Duda.
SpaceX's Starlink satellite network is widely used by Ukrainian forces in combat operations. At the same time, Western media reported, citing sources, that Ukrainian authorities are trying to persuade Musk to allow the Armed Forces of Ukraine to use Starlink for targeting on Russian territory. According to those reports, the businessman has not yet given permission.