Elon Musk said his business would continue to pay for Starlink satellite internet services in the conflict-torn Ukraine a day after saying he couldn't continue supporting the project.
Musk, one of the richest men in the world, changed his mind after receiving backlash after tweeting on Friday that his business could not "indefinitely" subsidize Ukraine's usage of Starlink.
The service has been essential for the communication of the Ukrainian army as it pushes into Russian-occupied territory and mounts a defense against ongoing Russian assaults.
View of an antenna of the Starlink satellite internet at the John F. Kennedy School in Solomon, Los Lagos Region in southern Chile, on August 8, 2021. - South African billionaire Elon Masks's SpaceX company's Starlink started to deliver internet access Friday in Chile, making it the first country in Latin America and the southern hemisphere to access this experimental service.
Elon Musk Says SpaceX To Continue Funding Ukraine Starlink Internet
CNN said SpaceX wrote to the Pentagon last month requesting it take over financing for Ukraine's usage of Starlink, a system created and run by SpaceX.
He claimed that SpaceX is not requesting reimbursement for previous costs, but it cannot continue to pay the current system indefinitely.
But on Saturday, Musk reversed direction and announced his choice on Twitter.
"The hell with it," he said on Twitter.
He continued by saying that despite Starlink continuing to lose money and other businesses receiving billions in tax funds, they keep providing the services to the Ukrainian government for free.
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Musk subsequently appeared to suggest that his change of heart was sincere, but it was first unclear if it was.
When a Twitter user told Musk, "No good deed goes unpunished," he replied, "Even so, we should still do good deeds."
How Much Would It Cost SpaceX To Maintain Starlink Internet
Musk claims that Starlink has dispatched roughly 25,000 terminals to aid with the conflict in Ukraine, BBC News said.
Given that the nation continues to experience blackouts due to Russian missile strikes and the risk of cyberattacks is still high, the service has been crucial in ensuring that the Ukrainian military and civilian population has access to the internet during the conflict.
Musk (via Twitter) says running the Starlink program costs $20 million monthly. Recently, he said that SpaceX has already paid $80 million to keep Ukraine online.
In addition to terminals, Musk stated that Starlink also needs to build, launch, operate, and replace satellites and ground stations.
He continued by saying that Starlink also needed to protect itself against more difficult intrusions and jamming.
BBC News added that Mykhailo Fedorov, the vice-prime minister of Ukraine, played down hostilities between his country and Elon Musk.
Fedorov tweeted that SpaceX "is among the world's top private donors supporting Ukraine."
Fedorov claims that Starlink is a crucial component of their important infrastructure.
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