Elon Musk vows Starlink's unwavering support to Ukraine
"No matter how much I disagree with the Ukraine policy, Starlink will never turn off its terminals," announced its owner, Elon Musk, on platform X. Earlier, there was a sharp exchange of words between the billionaire and the Polish Foreign Minister, Radosław Sikorski.
Elon Musk, while assuring that Starlink will not turn off its terminals for Ukraine, which is defending itself against the Russian invasion, explained his earlier post in which he stated that the Ukrainian front would "collapse" if the network were shut down.
"To be extremely clear, no matter how much I disagree with the Ukraine policy, Starlink will never turn off its terminals. Without Starlink, the Ukrainian lines would collapse, as the Russians can jam all other communications! We would never do such a thing or use it as a bargaining chip," wrote the billionaire and advisor to the US president.
Exchange of words between Elon Musk and Radosław Sikorski
The earlier post by the businessman prompted a reaction from Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, who treated it as a threat to disconnect Ukraine from the network, which Poland co-finances.
Starlinks for Ukraine are paid for by the Polish Digitization Ministry at the cost of about $50 million per year. The ethics of threatening the victim of aggression apart, if SpaceX proves to be an unreliable provider we will be forced to look for other suppliers," wrote Sikorski.
In response, the head of SpaceX called the minister a "small man." "Be quiet, small man. You pay a tiny fraction of the cost. And there is no substitute for Starlink," wrote Musk.
The businessman from South Africa has previously repeatedly attacked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a similar manner, calling him a dictator, accusing him of crimes, and recently suggesting that "as distasteful as it is," he should be granted amnesty and shelter in a safe country.
On Sunday, Musk once again advocated for the United States to withdraw from NATO. It "doesn't make sense for America to pay for the defence of Europe," he assessed.
Let us recall that Starlink is satellite internet from SpaceX, which has transformed into a powerful business in just five years. According to Payload, in 2024, Starlink's estimated revenues were over approximately $8 (€7.4) billion, which represents a 95 percent increase compared to the previous year. The number of users doubled, reaching 4.6 million.
