Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has awarded Elon Musk the Order of Freedom, one of the nation's highest state honors, citing his "outstanding personal merits" in safeguarding human life and liberty while reinforcing connections between Ukraine and the United States.
Musk, founder of SpaceX, has emerged as a central, if controversial, private figure in Ukraine's defense effort. His deployment of the Starlink satellite network provided a crucial communications lifeline for both troops and civilians following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
