Musk said Monday that his company had withdrawn its request to the Pentagon to fund the Starlink internet terminal in Ukraine. The Pentagon was considering footing the bill using a fund that finances contracts for weapons and equipment for the Ukrainian military, according to a report.
Around 10, 630 were paying for the satellite internet service, Musk said.
This is the latest chapter in the saga over the fate of Starlink, a service that Ukranian officials say is critical to the war effort, allowing troops and civilians to stay connected despite widespread destruction of conventional communications infrastructure. CNN reported that a top Ukranian military official sent a request to Musk for thousands of additional terminals.
Major waves of controversy were generated by the news that the Pentagon had received a letter from the company requesting funding for the Starlink service. The ongoing operation of the donated Starlink terminals has cost $80 million and will exceed $100 million by the end of the year, according to Musk.
The long-term future of Starlink in Ukraine is still up in the air despite today's news. Two days ago, Musk said that they would just keep funding the Ukranian government for free, but this is not a long term solution.
The financing fund for the service was reported to be under consideration by the U.S. officials. The Starlink issue was discussed by European Union foreign ministers. The Pentagon has sent billions to support the war effort in Ukraine, but whether it will continue to pick up the tab is unclear.
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