Elon Musk ’s aerospace company SpaceX has formally enquire the Pentagon to pay for 100 % of Ukraine ’s access to Starlink , the satellite internet inspection and repair the billionaire previously say he ’d donated to the land , according to document incur byCNN . SpaceX also want the U.S. governing to pay for K of new Starlink terminals for Ukraine .
about 85 % of the 20,000 Starlink terminals that have been sent to Ukraine were already fully or partially fund by governance rootage , according to the documents obtained by CNN , while about 30 % of the internet service of process for those terminals was paid for by organizations not affiliate with SpaceX.
Musk seemed to implicitly confirm CNN ’s chronicle other Friday explaining in a tweet that he was just follow Ukraine ’s own hypnotism after a Ukrainian official had told him to “ fuck off ” over the estimate that Russia should keep Crimea .
American oligarch Elon Musk at the ONS (Offshore Northern Seas) fair on sustainable energy in Stavanger, Norway on Aug. 29, 2022.Photo: Carina Johansen/NTB Scanpix (AP)
SpaceX , which outlast as a fellowship onbillions of dollarsin governance contracts , requested the Pentagon to maltreat in and pay roughly $ 120 million for Ukraine ’s use of Starlink for the rest of the twelvemonth . SpaceX also wants the U.S. government to hoof the bill for about $ 400 million for next year , harmonize to CNN .
“ We are not in a position to further donate depot to Ukraine , or fund the existing terminals for an indefinite period of time of time , ” SpaceX ’s theater director of governing sales , Bryon Hargis , pen in a letter to the Pentagon in September , according to CNN .
Musk , an American oligarch reportedly deserving $ 215 billion , has previously tried to take all the credit for a generous donation of Starlink cyberspace to Ukraine , and 70 % of the service fee have indeed been “ donated ” to the war - torn commonwealth , according to the text file seen by CNN . But Musk clearly thinks he ’s offered enough for free and sent out a tweet early Friday saying it was “ unreasonable ” to demand SpaceX to continue pay off for more terminals in Ukraine .
Ukraine ’s General Valerii Zaluzhniy requested almost 8,000 young Starlink terminal in July , according to the documents view by CNN . A adviser with SpaceX also wrote the Pentagon to excuse the space company probably did n’t have the financial resources to provide what was quest , write that SpaceX “ faces terribly difficult conclusion here . ”
Starlink has been a life-sustaining lifeline for Ukraine , which has often contend with reliable phone and net access since Russia first invaded the country on February 24 . Russia has bomb civilian infrastructure and often pink out communication in the nation . And while Musk has said publically he supports Ukraine ’s independence , he ’s also extract a desire for Ukraine ’s mass to take Russia ’s claims over some of Ukraine ’s soil , something that Musk would be unconvincing to support if , say , Mexico decide it require the states of California and Texas back .
Musk has also expressed concern about the peril of nuclear war if the U.S. proceed to help oneself Ukraine fight off Russia ’s quest for more district , collapse that Russian President Vladimir Putin has made menace to cut down nukes in Ukraine . Putin has already announce the appropriation of four regions in Ukraine , something most countries have turn down to distinguish , and it ’s remove the authoritarian ’s goal is to take the entire res publica .
Musk tweetedlast weekthat SpaceX has spent $ 80 million on Starlink depot and service for Ukraine , a number he says will reach $ 100 million by the end of the yr .
Musk has not announce whether he ’d offer a discount rate if the Pentagon pick up the tab for Ukraine ’s terminals and service , or if he ’s ask to make a profit on each end sold . terminal sent to Ukraine cost $ 1,500 and $ 2,500 , according to the prescribed documents image by CNN . SpaceX , whose enceinte shareholder is Musk , is valued at some $ 127 billion , accord toCNBC .
At no stage in the CNN taradiddle or Musk ’s recent tweet did the thought of Musk personally donating money to Ukraine number up . But it seems like an obvious root if Musk need to continue taking credit for SpaceX ’s contributions to the state . One anonymous DoD functionary tell CNN that Musk was just trying tolook like a heroand have others pay the real price in Ukraine .
In fact , Musk made a snarky suggestion that by no longer funding internet entree in Ukraine , he was just take after what leadership in Ukraine want . Ukraine ’s ambassador to Germany , Andrij Melnyk , told Musk to “ fuck off ” in reception to a tweet earlier this month where Musk suggested a peace deal could be reached between Ukraine if Russia gets to keep Crimea .
We ’re just following his passport 🤷 ♂ ️
— Elon Musk ( @elonmusk)October 14 , 2022
“ We ’re just following his testimonial , ” Musk tweet petulantly onFriday morning .
Interestingly , it ’s not just the U.S. government that ’s pay for terminal in Ukraine , with solid money coming from both the British government and Poland . In fact , Poland was the single largest vendee of terminals for Ukraine , according to CNN , buy almost 9,000 of the 20,000 that have been sent to the land .
Musk , who ’s currently combat Twitter in one of theweirdest lawsuitsof the twelvemonth , has most recently been promoting a new aroma that he says smells like burnt hair in a move that sound like a practical joke on his own diehard fans . you’re able to just think someone tell Musk , “ your fans are so dumb , they ’d bribe burnt whisker from you , ” while a gigantic lightbulb form over his oral sex . How dumb are Musk ’s following ? ostensibly $ 1 million worth of burnt tomentum dumb , according toReuters .
Elon MuskHyperloopOuter spaceSpaceflightSPACEXStarlink
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