Pentagon to Provide Ukraine with "Uncuttable" Starlink Terminals

The U.S. Department of Defense has signed an agreement with SpaceX to purchase Starlink terminals and services for Ukraine, which founder Elon Musk won't be able to disconnect. 

This development was reported by The New York Times.

In June, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin approved a Pentagon deal to acquire 400 to 500 new Starlink terminals and services. According to the contract, the Pentagon will have control over the settings of Starlink internet signals in Ukraine, allowing these new devices to carry out critical functions and specific missions without fear of interruption.

This move is aimed at providing Ukraine with specialized terminals and services to execute confidential tasks, with no risk of communication being cut off. Previously, Musk had disconnected access to some Starlink terminals in Ukraine.

Around the end of last year, approximately 1300 Starlink terminals, purchased through a British provider, stopped working in Ukraine when the government was unable to pay the monthly fee of $2500 for each terminal, as reported by The New York Times, citing sources. Starlink access also changed depending on the course of the war, as Russia occupied territory and Ukraine fought to reclaim it.

Whenever the frontline shifted, Musk used geozones to limit Starlink availability in the frontline areas. SpaceX also used location data collected by its service to enforce geozones restrictions.

This situation caused problems for Ukrainian troops when they attempted to recapture cities like Kherson in areas controlled by Russia, as they needed internet access. Fedorov and the military sent letters to Musk and SpaceX employees requesting the restoration of service in advancing army areas, as mentioned in the report.

Last year, the European Union, partly driven by concerns about Starlink and Musk, allocated 2.4 billion euros to create a satellite constellation for both civilian and military purposes.

Cybersecurity expert Dmitri Alperovitch, who advised governments on satellite internet, said, 'This is not just one company, but one person. You are entirely subject to his whims and desires.'

Elon Musk launched the first Starlink satellites into orbit in 2019, at a time when satellite internet was considered an unrealistic endeavor. Other companies had previously attempted, unsuccessfully, to develop low-earth orbit communication satellites due to high costs and technical difficulties in sending them into space.

However, Musk had an advantage. SpaceX rockets return to Earth after spaceflight and are partially reusable. This essentially allowed him to constantly deliver satellites into space, sometimes launching dozens at once.

The Ministry of Defense confirmed that it had made a contract with Starlink but declined to provide specifics, citing the "critical nature of these systems."

As of now, over 42,000 Starlink devices are being used in Ukraine by the military, hospitals, businesses, and humanitarian organizations.