SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk announced on Saturday (15) that he would continue funding the internet network Starlink in Ukraine, taking a step back from the previous day's statements, when he asked the US government to take over the task.
"It does not matter,” tweeted the richest man in the world. 🇧🇷Even though Starlink is still losing money and other companies are getting billions of dollars from taxpayers, we will continue to fund the Ukrainian government for free."
Musk had said on Friday that SpaceX could not afford Starlink in Ukraine indefinitely.
The US military has confirmed that it is in contact with the billionaire's company for key network funding.
The conversations take place at a time when Musk finds himself involved in exchanges of public barbs with Ukrainian leaders, who were irritated by the tycoon's controversial proposals to resolve the conflict, which included the recognition of Russian sovereignty over the Crimean peninsula.
Starlink, a constellation of more than 3.000 small satellites in low Earth orbit, has been vital to Ukraine's communications in its fight against the Russian invasion of its territory.
SpaceX has donated about 25.000 ground terminals to Ukraine, according to an updated number provided by Musk last week.
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On Friday, the controversial entrepreneur warned that the space company “(could not) continue funding the existing system indefinitely and shipping thousands of additional terminals (…) It is unreasonable".
According to the billionaire, aid to Ukraine has already cost the company US$ 80 million, an account that should reach US$ 100 million by the end of the year.
Musk guarantees that, except for a “small percentage“, all costs of deployment and maintenance of Starlink terminals in Ukraine were borne by SpaceX.
However, broadcaster CNN reported that SpaceX figures shared with the Pentagon show that around 85% of the first 20.000 terminals in Ukraine were partially paid for by countries such as the United States, Poland or other entities, which also paid for around 30 % of internet connectivity.
Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said Friday that the US Department of Defense is in contact with Musk on the funding issue.
