Elon Musk's Starlink denial for Ukraine's Crimea operation sparks Pentagon inquiry
Elon Musk's decision to deny Ukraine access to Starlink internet services for a potential attack on Russian forces in Crimea last September has prompted discussions about the need for clearer language in future contracts with the US military, specifying how procured services or products may be employed in wartime scenarios. As per a report by AP, excerpts from a recent biography of Elon Musk, as reported by The Washington Post last week, disclosed that in September 2022, Ukrainian authorities had requested Starlink support for a potential offensive against Russian naval vessels stationed at Sevastopol, located in Crimea.
Musk declined the request out of apprehensions that Russia might retaliate with a nuclear strike in response. It's important to note that Russia took control of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and asserts its sovereignty over the region.
Also Read: Elon Musk prevented nuclear war between Ukraine-Russia? Here is the reality When Elon Musk declined the request related to Crimea, he was not operating under a military contract; instead, he had been offering free terminals to Ukraine as a response to Russia's invasion in February 2022. Subsequently, the US military has entered into an official contract with Starlink and provided funding for ongoing support.
The specifics of this contract, including its terms and costs, have not been publicly disclosed by the Pentagon, citing the need for operational security, AP reported. “But the Pentagon is reliant on SpaceX for far more than the Ukraine response, and the uncertainty that Musk or any other commercial vendor could refuse to provide services in a future conflict has led space systems military planners to reconsider what needs to be explicitly laid out in future
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