On November 13, 2022, after Russian troops retreated from Kherson to the east bank of the Dnieper River in Ukraine, the Ukrainian army set up a Starlink satellite receiver in Independence Square to provide connectivity to civilians.
Metal Atkas | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon said Thursday it has agreed to buy Starlink satellite internet terminals from Elon Musk’s SpaceX for use in Ukraine as Kiev continues to fight a full-scale Russian invasion.
The Pentagon said: “We continue to work with a range of global partners to ensure that Ukraine has the satellite and communications capabilities they need. Satellite communications form an important layer of Ukraine’s overall communications network, and the department has a contract with Starlink for such services. ’ in a statement to CNBC.
The Pentagon declined to provide additional contract details, including the price, scope and timeline of deliveries.
“For operational security reasons and the critical nature of these systems – we are currently unable to provide additional information on specific functions, contracts or partners,” the statement added.
Bloomberg first reported Thursday’s contract. SpaceX did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
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Ukraine’s first Starlink terminal arrived four days after Russian troops crossed the country’s border in Europe’s largest sea, land and air raid since World War II.
Ukraine’s digital minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, previously asked Musk about this capability on Twitter, posting that Starlink is “here” in Ukraine — there is a photo display There were more than two dozen boxes in the back of the truck.
Musk said in October that SpaceX would not be able to continue funding the use of Starlink terminals in the country “indefinitely” from its own coffers. CNN reports Said the company had asked the Pentagon to cover the cost.
Western officials had previously applauded Musk’s decision to equip Ukraine with Starlink internet, citing Russia’s massive and indiscriminate shelling of civilian infrastructure that left swaths of the country without communications.
However, in October, Musk reportedly told the Pentagon that he would no longer fund a Starlink terminal in Ukraine as the country prepares for a harsh winter. The billionaire later offered a reversal.
“Never intended to be weaponized”
Starlink is SpaceX’s global network of more than 4,000 satellites serving more than 50 countries. The company developed Starlink More than 1.5 million customers and launches multiple batches of satellites each week to expand network capabilities. The United States has approved a plan to increase the number of satellites in orbit to 7,500.
In recent years, SpaceX has steadily expanded its Starlink offering, selling the service to residential, commercial, RV, maritime and aviation customers.
Earlier this year, SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell said the company was “very happy to be able to provide connectivity to Ukraine and help them fight for freedom,” but she stressed that Starlink “was never intended to be weaponized.”
“The Ukrainians exploited it in a way that was unintentional and not part of any agreement, so we have to work on that at Starlink,” Shotwell said in February.
Shotwell added that Ukraine’s use of Starlink as a communications system “is fine for the military,” “but our intent was never for them to use it for offensive purposes.”
She singled out reports that Ukraine was using Starlink “on drones.” Ukrainian soldiers describe using Starlink to connect drones and identify and destroy enemy targets, Reported by The Times of London, March 2022.
“I’m not going to go into detail; there are things we can do to limit their ability to do that … there are things we can do and have done,” Shotwell said.
