US Pentagon to pay SpaceX Starlink to provide internet for Ukraine

Robert Besser
05 Jun 2023, 19:25 GMT+10

Satellite comunications service started by billionaire Elon Musk, SpaceX's Starlink, has won the Department of Defense contract to provide satellite internet services to Ukraine
Ukrainian troops have used Starlink for various tasks, including battlefield communications
Through private donations and under a separate contract with a foreign aid agency in the US, SpaceX, since the start of Russia's invasion in February 2022, has been providing Ukraine and its military with Starlink internet services

WASHINGTON D.C.: The Pentagon said this week that the satellite communications service started by billionaire Elon Musk, SpaceX's Starlink, has won the Department of Defense contract to provide satellite internet services to Ukraine.

In its statement, the Pentagon said, "We continue to work with a range of global partners to ensure Ukraine has the resilient satellite and communication capabilities they need. Satellite communications constitute a vital layer in Ukraine's overall communications network and the department contracts with Starlink for services of this type."

Ukrainian troops have used Starlink for various tasks, including battlefield communications.

Through private donations and under a separate contract with a foreign aid agency in the US, SpaceX, since the start of Russia's invasion in February 2022, has been providing Ukraine and its military with Starlink internet services.

In October, SpaceX CEO Musk said that his company could not afford to indefinitely fund Starlink in Ukraine, which costs $20 million per month to maintain.

Russia has attempted to cut off and jam internet services in Ukraine, including Starlink, but SpaceX has countered those attacks by upgrading the service's software.

"For operational security reasons and due to the critical nature of these systems," the Pentagon did not disclose the terms of the contract.