As per Walter Isaacson's upcoming biography of the billionaire, Elon Musk secretly ordered the shutdown of his company's Starlink satellite network near Crimea last year.
This move aimed to disrupt a potential Ukrainian sneak attack on the Russian naval fleet. What is the reason behind this drastic decision?
The billionaire now offers some explanation.
Musk's Drastic Decision
In response to the assertions made in the biography, Musk stated on X that SpaceX had not deactivated any systems since they were never activated in those regions.
He went on to explain that government authorities had made an emergency request to activate Starlink services up to Sevastopol, aiming to target a significant portion of the Russian fleet at anchor.
"If I had agreed to their request, then SpaceX would be explicitly complicit in a major act of war and conflict escalation."
He referred to his apprehensions as a potential "mini-Pearl Harbor" and believed that allowing the Ukrainian attack to proceed could spiral into a catastrophic international conflict.
Starlink's Crucial Role
To understand the gravity of Musk's decision, it is essential to recognize Starlink's importance in the region.
After Russia disrupted Ukraine's communications systems in February 2022, Musk agreed to provide millions of dollars worth of SpaceX-made Starlink satellite terminals.
However, as the conflict escalated, Ukraine began to use Starlink terminals for offensive attacks against Russia. This shift in usage prompted Musk to question his decision to provide the technology for military purposes.
Musk's Moral Dilemma
In an excerpt from Isaacson's book, Musk expressed his moral dilemma.
"How am I in this war? Starlink was not meant to be involved in wars. It was so people can watch Netflix and chill and get online for school and do good peaceful things, not drone strikes," Musk remarked.
CNN tells us that Musk engaged with high-level US officials as the situation escalated. Simultaneously, the deputy prime minister of Ukraine was desperately pleading with Musk to restore connectivity for the submarine drones, emphasizing the importance of the technology in the conflict.
This unique situation placed both Ukrainian and US officials in uncharted territory. They found themselves reliant on the goodwill of a businessman for battlefield communications, illustrating the growing influence of tech moguls like Musk in international affairs.
Funding and Fallout
The situation took another turn when SpaceX, the parent company of Starlink, faced a dilemma over who would foot the bill for the satellite terminals.
Initially, SpaceX was reluctant to continue funding the equipment sent to Ukraine. However, after negotiations with the US and European governments, a deal was eventually reached to provide another 100,000 satellite dishes to Ukraine in 2023.
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