Musk says SpaceX cannot fund Ukraine's Starlink internet indefinitely - Rappler

Musk says SpaceX is spending astir $20 cardinal a period to support outer services successful Ukraine. A CNN study says the institution has sent a missive to the Pentagon asking for backing assistance

Elon Musk said connected Friday, October 14, SpaceX cannot “indefinitely” money the Starlink net work successful Ukraine and nonstop it respective thousands much terminals aft a study suggested that his rocket institution had asked the Pentagon to wage for the donations.

Musk’s remark connected the question of enactment for the net work successful Ukraine comes aft helium angered galore Ukrainians with a connection to extremity Russia’s warfare successful their state that included ceding immoderate territory.

“SpaceX is not asking to recoup past expenses, but besides cannot money the existing strategy indefinitely *and* nonstop respective 1000 much terminals that person information usage up to 100X greater than emblematic households. This is unreasonable,” Musk said connected Twitter.

The billionaire brag of Tesla said Starlink was spending astir $20 cardinal a month, helium called it a “burn”, for maintaining outer services successful Ukraine. He precocious said that SpaceX had spent astir $80 cardinal to alteration and enactment Starlink successful Ukraine.

CNN reported connected Thursday that SpaceX sent a missive to the Pentagon past period saying it could not proceed to money the Starlink work successful Ukraine and it whitethorn person to halt backing it unless the U.S. subject helped with tens of millions of dollars a month.

SpaceX did not respond to a petition for comment.

Musk activated Starlink successful Ukraine successful precocious February aft net services were disrupted due to the fact that of Russia’s invasion. SpaceX has since fixed it thousands of terminals. 

Ukraine’s vice premier minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, said this week Starlink services helped reconstruct vigor and communications infrastructure successful captious areas aft much than 100 Russian cruise rocket attacks.

Russia calls its involution successful Ukraine a “special subject operation” and says it does not people civilians.

Musk drew wide disapproval from Ukrainians implicit his bid program successful which helium projected that Ukraine permanently cede the Crimea portion to Russia, that caller referendums beryllium held nether UN auspices to find the destiny of Russian-controlled territory, and that Ukraine hold to neutrality.

Ukraine says it volition ne'er hold to cede onshore taken by force, and lawful referendums cannot beryllium held successful occupied territory wherever galore radical person been killed oregon driven out.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was among those who criticized Musk’s proposal. 

Ukraine’s outgoing ambassador to Germany, Andrij Melnyk, besides condemned the connection successful blunt terms, saying connected Twitter: “Fuck disconnected is my precise diplomatic reply to you @elonmusk.”

Musk, responding to a station referring to the destiny of the Starlink work and the ambassador’s remark, said: “We’re conscionable pursuing his recommendation.” – Rappler.com