Satellite communications are very important: Pentagon buys Starlink terminals for Ukraine from Musk.

The Pentagon is purchasing new Starlink satellite communication terminals from SpaceX, a company owned by billionaire Elon Musk. The US Department of Defence will hand them over to Ukraine for use by the military.

This was reported by Bloomberg. The terminals will be purchased with funds allocated by the US Congress.

The funds for the purchase of the terminals will be allocated from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is designed to meet the country's long-term security needs.

"We continue to work with a range of global partners to provide Ukraine with the resilient satellite and communications capabilities it needs," the Pentagon said.

The US defence department noted that satellite communications are a vital layer in Ukraine's overall communications network, and therefore "the department has contracted with Starlink to provide these services".

The publication notes that US military officials have praised the role that Starlink's portable terminals have played in Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion, providing connectivity to civilians and critical communications for the Ukrainian armed forces. Starlink was also highly praised by Ukrainian defenders.

Last October, SpaceX asked the Pentagon to fund Ukraine's government and military use of the Starlink satellite system. According to SpaceX's estimates, the cost should be more than $120 million.

As reported by OBOZREVATEL:

In October 2022, SpaceX refused to continue to finance the services of Starlink satellite Internet terminals for the Ukrainian army. The company no longer has the funds to pay for the terminals and their services. In September, SpaceX asked the US Department of Defence to cover these costs.

In February 2023, SpaceX limited the use of Starlink for the Armed Forces. It is about controlling drones, which the company compares to "weapons".

The Office of the President of Ukraine reacted to this decision. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the President, called on the company's management to decide which side it supports - Russia and its "rights" to kill and occupy Ukrainian cities or our country's right to freedom.

At the same time, the head of the Ministry of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, said that Ukraine has no problems with the use of Starlink terminals by Ukrainian military personnel. The defenders of our country can still use it to control drones.

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