The decision to suspend the use of the satellite internet service of SpaceX, one of the companies led by Tesla owner Elon Musk, by the Ukrainian military was taken to prevent “the conflict from escalating that could lead to World War III”. Musk said this himself when answering a question from a former NASA astronaut.
The lawsuit erupted last week after SpaceX CEO Gwynne Shotwell announced that the company’s satellite network, Starlink, which allows internet connectivity instead of terrestrial networks, will reduce access to Ukraine. As Shotwell explained, the restriction came after the breach of agreements between SpaceX and Kyiv, which stipulated that the satellites would be used only for humanitarian and non-military purposes. It seems that Volodymyr Zelensky’s army took advantage of the connection, which became necessary after the destruction of the country’s telecommunications infrastructure by Russia and was donated free of charge by Musk at the beginning of the conflict.
This assistance allowed the Ukrainian military to rebuild the digital network blown up by the Russians and connect to remote areas that until then were completely devoid of reception terminals. The main breach committed by Kyiv consists of remote control of drones aimed at pinpointing enemy positions and dropping bombs, actions in which SpaceX has decided to take a strong position by interrupting the operation of thousands of terminals in many parts of the country. Ukrainian leaders have harshly commented on the election, accusing Musk of not recognizing the country’s right to self-defense. For Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to the Ukrainian president, the move of the American company is to support Moscow’s “right to kill.”
You’re smart enough not to swallow the media and other propaganda bullshit.
Starlink is Ukraine’s communications backbone, especially on the front lines where all other Internet connections are almost completely destroyed.
But we will not allow the conflict to escalate in a way that could lead to World War III.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 12, 2023
Musk waited a few days to respond before giving his version: “Starlink is Ukraine’s communications backbone, especially on the frontline where nearly all other internet connections have been destroyed. But we will not let the conflict escalate. It leads to World War II,” he said. Some time ago, Tesla’s owner dissociated himself for promoting a poll on Twitter, the social network for which he recently launched a buyout offer, on his personal peace plan between Ukraine and Russia, and essentially proposing to leave Russia. From Donbass to Moscow. The poll triggered protests from Ukrainians, and Zelensky conducted a poll against his followers: “Which Elon Musk do you prefer? Who supports Ukraine or Russia?”.
But beyond the sticks made via social media, what really matters not only for Zelenky but also for Musk is the maintenance of Starlink. For the Tesla boss, the fact that his satellites have become the “backbone” of a warring country backed by the West is proof that SpaceX is light-years ahead of the competition in this increasingly strategic space market (starting with Europe). The tightening decision taken last week only reminds the world of the importance of Starlink.
This could also be strategic for another purpose: to obtain public funding from the US and EU. After all, it is not the first time that service in Ukraine has been interrupted. First of all, in previous cases that occurred between the beginning and the end of last fall, economic reasons emerged, highlighted by the company’s increasing pressure on the Pentagon to take out a substantial loan.
According to a CNN report last October, SpaceX could no longer afford to donate Starlink to Kiev, which, according to Musk, would cost about $20 million a month. After the discussion, which was concluded with Musk’s threat to shut down the satellites, the US and EU would consider jointly financing the service’s maintenance. However, to date, no funds have entered the pockets of the company.
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
