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.

Watch latest videos

News RELEASES

Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Entertainment Sun.

More Information

32 ℃

Partly Cloudy in Seletar

International

Section

Fifty world leaders call on UN to bring about peace in Ukraine

As it did last year, the 2023 United Nations General Assembly has been debating what role the United Nations and ...

Criminal from Louisiana caught in Mexico after 32 years

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana: Authorities said that Greg Lawson, who fled his 1991 trial in Louisiana for attempted murder 32 years ...

Trudeau promises to continue support to Ukraine

OTTAWA, Canada: During a joint news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Canada's capital, Ottawa, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ...

Famous Uyghur scholar gets life sentence from court in China

BEIJING, China: A respected Uyghur scholar, known for her extensive work in studying Uyghur folklore and traditions, has been sentenced ...

Coal mine fire in Guizhou province, China, kills 16 people

BEIJING, China: Local authorities said a fire at the Shanjiaoshu coal mine in Guizhou province, southern China, killed 16 people ...

Flamingos cause a flutter at Lake Michigan beach in Wisconsin

MADISON, Wisconsin: Last week, five flamingos were seen along a Lake Michigan beach in Wisconsin, attracting a large crowd of ...

Movies

Section

Movie Review

The Hills Have Eyes (1977) (4K UHD)

Hills Have Eyes (1977)