Elon Musk has reaffirmed that Starlink will remain operational in Ukraine, dismissing speculation that SpaceX might cut access to the satellite internet service, Kyiv Independent, and RT reported this.
“To be extremely clear, no matter how much I disagree with the Ukraine policy, Starlink will never turn off its terminals,” Musk stated on his social media platform, X. He described Starlink as the "backbone" of Ukrainian military communications, warning that disabling it would lead to the collapse of the entire frontline.
His remarks follow criticism from Poland’s Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who suggested that Ukraine should seek alternative providers if Starlink proved unreliable. In response, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended Musk, arguing that Ukraine would have lost the war without Starlink.
Musk, in turn, dismissed Sikorski’s concerns, saying, “Be quiet, small man. You pay a tiny fraction of the cost.” Poland currently funds half of Ukraine’s 42,000 Starlink terminals, at an estimated $50 million per year.
Fears over Ukraine’s continued access to Starlink arose after a Reuters report on Feb. 21 claimed that the U.S. had threatened to cut service unless Kyiv signed a deal on natural resources. Musk has denied the claims, reiterating that Starlink would never be used as leverage in political negotiations.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
