United States allocate funds for Starlink in Ukraine

2 June, 2023 Ukrainian military from Starlink. June 2022. Ukraine.

Photo credits: ArmyInform Elon Musk's SpaceX wins Pentagon contract for Starlink supply to Ukraine. Bloomberg reported about this with reference to the Pentagon.

The terminals will be purchased with funds appropriated by the United States Congress. The terminals will likely be purchased under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which provides for the embattled nation's long-term security needs. In December, the U.S.

Department of Defense disclosed in announcing such a funding package that it would provide satellite communications "terminals and services" to Ukraine, but didn't confirm that Musk's company would get the contract.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk. Photo credits: flickr.com

"We continue to work with a number of global partners to provide Ukraine with the sustainable satellite and communications capabilities it needs," the Pentagon said. At the same time, the department noted that satellite communication is a vital level in the general communication network of Ukraine, and therefore "the department signed a contract with the Starlink company to provide services of this kind."

"However, for operational security reasons and due to the critical nature of these systems, we do not have additional information regarding specific capabilities, contracts or partners to provide at this time," the statement said. U.S. military officials have praised the role Starlink portable terminals have played in Ukraine since the Russian invasion, providing connectivity for civilians and critical communications for the country's military. As previously reported, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine has already received 42,000 Starlink terminals.

They provide communication critical infrastructure.

Ukrainian military installing Starlink. Photo from open sources

Previously, Elon Musk turned down Pentagon funding to sustain the work of Starlink in Ukraine.

American businessman Elon Musk announced that he has already donated £100 million to Ukraine.