Elon Musk, the controversial tech billionaire, has stated that his SpaceX company will no longer provide essential satellite services to Ukraine unless the US military contributes tens of millions of dollars every month, according to CNN.
SpaceX requested that the Pentagon, the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, take over funding for Ukraine’s government and military usage of Starlink.
SpaceX claims this would cost more than $120m (£106m) for the rest of the year and could cost close to $400m (£355m) for the next 12 months.
“We are not in a position to further donate terminals to Ukraine, or fund the existing terminals for an indefinite period of time,” SpaceX’s director of government sales wrote in the letter.
SpaceX has so far donated 20,000 Starlink satellite units to Ukraine since February.
The satellites have been a vital source of communication for Ukraine’s military since they arrived.
They allow Ukraine to fight and stay connected even as mobile phone and internet networks have been destroyed in its war with Russia.
Reports of the letter come a day after Mr Musk denied reports he has spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The denial follows a Twitter poll he shared earlier this month where he invited his 107.7 million followers to vote on a suggested “Ukraine-Russia Peace plan”, which included permanently ceding Crimea to Russia.
He said new referendums could be held under UN supervision to determine the fate of Russian-controlled territory, and that Ukraine agree to neutrality.
This drew sharp criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who proposed his own Twitter poll: “Which @elonmusk do you like more? One who supports Ukraine (or) one who supports Russia.”
Following reports of SpaceX’s letter to the Pentagon, Kyiv Post correspondent Jason Jay Smart pointed out that it comes days after Ukrainian diplomat Andrij Melynk had tweeted Mr Musk telling him to “f*** off” in response to his Twitter poll.
Mr Musk replied to Mr Smart’s tweet: “We’re just following his recommendation.”
Ukraine-Russia Peace:
– Redo elections of annexed regions under UN supervision. Russia leaves if that is will of the people.
– Crimea formally part of Russia, as it has been since 1783 (until Khrushchev’s mistake).
– Water supply to Crimea assured.
– Ukraine remains neutral.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 3, 2022
He said new referendums could be held under UN supervision to determine the fate of Russian-controlled territory, and that Ukraine agree to neutrality.
This drew sharp criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who proposed his own Twitter poll: “Which @elonmusk do you like more? One who supports Ukraine (or) one who supports Russia.”
Following reports of SpaceX’s letter to the Pentagon, Kyiv Post correspondent Jason Jay Smart pointed out that it comes days after Ukrainian diplomat Andrij Melynk had tweeted Mr Musk telling him to “f*** off” in response to his Twitter poll.
Mr Musk replied to Mr Smart’s tweet: “We’re just following his recommendation.”
