SpaceX CEO, Elon Musk made veiled threats against the Ukrainian army in his recent comments.
According to Fox Business, Musk said Sunday that Ukraine’s frontline would collapse if he turned off his Starlink satellite internet constellation in the country amid its war with Russia, stressing his frustration with “years of slaughter in a stalemate that Ukraine will inevitably lose.”
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Starlink, the satellite internet service provided by SpaceX, has played a significant role in supporting Ukraine’s communication infrastructure, especially during the ongoing conflict with Russia.
Since the war began in 2022, Ukraine has faced disruptions to traditional communication systems, and Starlink has provided a reliable alternative. The Ukrainian military has used Starlink to maintain secure communications, coordinate operations, and share intelligence, even in areas where other forms of internet or telecommunications have been disrupted or destroyed.
The system has been vital for ensuring that the Ukrainian army stays connected, especially in remote or conflict-heavy areas where ground infrastructure is unavailable or compromised.
Musk’s latest grandstanding came in response to a social media post by Senator Mike Lee, who while responding to another user on X, said that not another penny should be given to Ukraine.
Musk responded to the senator by saying,”Place sanctions on the top 10 Ukrainian oligarchs, especially the ones with mansions in Monaco, and this will stop immediately. That is the key to the puzzle.”
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What does Starlink do?
Starlink, developed by SpaceX, is a satellite internet service designed to provide high-speed, low-latency internet access to remote and underserved areas worldwide. It uses a constellation of small satellites orbiting Earth to deliver broadband internet, bypassing the need for traditional ground-based infrastructure.
Starlink offers download speeds ranging from 50 Mbps to 150 Mbps and aims for low latency (20-40 ms), making it suitable for activities like video streaming and online gaming. It is especially useful in rural, remote locations and has been employed for critical uses, such as military communication and disaster response when other networks are unavailable.