Cliff Notes
- A clash occurred involving US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Elon Musk, and Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski regarding the use of Starlink satellite internet in Ukraine.
- Musk asserted that Ukraine’s military relies on Starlink, claiming the “entire front line would collapse” without it. Sikorski countered that Poland funds the service, indicating a search for alternatives if threatened.
- Rubio dismissed Sikorski’s concerns, telling him to express gratitude for Starlink’s role in the war, while Musk insulted Sikorski personally.
- Following the dispute, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk emphasized the need for respect among allies, particularly towards smaller nations.
- Starlink technology has proven crucial for Ukrainian military operations since the Russian invasion began in February 2022, but can easily be replaced by an alternative EU provider.
Musk and Rubio Spar with Polish Minister Over Ukraine’s Use of Starlink
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Elon Musk have clashed with Poland’s foreign minister over the use of the tech billionaire’s Starlink satellite internet system in Ukraine.
Musk stated on X that Ukraine’s “entire front line” would collapse without the system, prompting Radoslaw Sikorski to reply that Poland pays for its use and that a threat to shut it down would lead to a search for another network.
Rubio dismissed Sikorski’s claims and advised him to be grateful, while Musk called him a “small man.” The exchange led Polish PM Donald Tusk to call for respect for Ukraine from its allies.
Starlink has played a vital role in supporting the Ukrainian military with high-speed internet communication since the onset of the conflict.
Smells of a PR set up
Starlink’s system is part of SpaceX’s venture to provide high-speed internet to remote and underserved areas. It has been used extensively by the Ukrainian military.
Sunday’s exchange started when Musk posted that Starlink was the “backbone of the Ukrainian army” and that “their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off”.
Sikorski then responded, saying that Poland was paying for the service.
“Starlinks for Ukraine are paid for by the Polish Digitization Ministry at the cost of about $50 million per year,” Sikorski wrote. “The ethics of threatening the victim of aggression apart, if SpaceX proves to be an unreliable provider we will be forced to look for other suppliers.”
Anti-Musk sentiment is growing across Europe
In response, Rubio said Sikorski was “just making things up… no-one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink”.
“And say thank you because without Starlink Ukraine would have lost this war long ago and Russians would be on the border with Poland right now,” he added.
Musk later responded to Sikorski’s post calling him a “small man”.
“Be quiet, small man. You pay a tiny fraction of the cost. And there is no substitute for Starlink,” he wrote.
On Monday morning Polish Prime Minister Tusk, without specifying who or what he was referring to, wrote on X: “True leadership means respect for partners and allies.
“Even for the smaller and weaker ones. Never arrogance. Dear friends, think about it.”
The Starlink terminals are key to Ukraine‘s army operations and have been used since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022.
There are tens of thousands of terminals in the country, including up to 500 bought by the US Department of Defence in June 2023.
How does Ukraine’s army use Starlink?
Starlink is used for reconnaissance drones, which stream troops real-time battlefield data that allows for quick reactions to attacks.
This compensates for Ukraine’s disadvantages in manpower, as the military does not need to keep large numbers of soldiers along the entire defensive line.
Drone footage also helps to direct artillery fire and identify targets for kamikaze drones.
Requesting evacuation or providing the exact location of a target would also be much slower and more complicated without Starlink, as regular radio stations may be out of range, jammed or compromised.