Elon Musk's Starlink: A critical link or liability in Ukraine?
Elon Musk wrote on the X platform on Sunday, "my Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian army. Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it of." The head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump simultaneously called for sanctions on Ukrainian oligarchs.
"I literally challenged Putin to one on one physical combat over Ukraine and my Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian army. Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off," noted Musk. "What I am sickened by is years of slaughter in a stalemate that Ukraine will inevitably lose," he added.
"Anyone who really cares, really thinks and really understands wants the meat grinder to stop. Peace now!" urged the billionaire.
"Place sanctions on the top 10 Ukrainian oligarchs, especially the ones with mansions in Monaco, and this will stop immediately", claimed Musk.
Connectivity provided by satellites has become crucial as a significant portion of Ukraine's telecommunications infrastructure was destroyed due to Russia's aggression. Bloomberg reported that the European Union pays for many terminals, yet tense relations between Washington and Kyiv have raised concerns about Starlink discontinuing these services. The United States has recently suspended deliveries of military aid to Ukraine and the transfer of its intelligence data.
Will the French fill the gap left by Musk's Starlink?
Bloomberg reported on Thursday that talks between the French operator Eutelsat and the European Union about replacing Starlink communication terminals in Ukraine are becoming more lively.
The company is already present in Ukraine and has thousands of terminals, but not all of them have been connected to the network. It would take Eutelsat two months to deliver 40,000 terminals, similar to those owned by Musk's Starlink.
Berneke admitted in an interview with Bloomberg that Eutelsat will need financial and logistical support to increase the number of terminals.
The company is also in discussions with Italy about providing secure satellite communications. Eutelsat has the most significant number of low-orbit satellites, alongside Starlink. As Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, authorities in Rome are beginning to waver over finalizing a 1.5 billion euros deal with Starlink to provide this service.
