Ukrainian official: Musk ‘committed evil’ with Starlink ban
Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak says that Musk switching off Starlink access to Crimea led to the deaths of civilians:
Sometimes a mistake is much more than just a mistake. By not allowing Ukrainian drones to destroy part of the Russian military (!) fleet via interference, @elonmusk allowed this fleet to fire Kalibr missiles at Ukrainian cities. As a result, civilians, children are being killed. This is the price of a cocktail of ignorance and big ego. However, the question still remains: why do some people so desperately want to defend war criminals and their desire to commit murder? And do they now realize that they are committing evil and encouraging evil?
Sometimes a mistake is much more than just a mistake. By not allowing Ukrainian drones to destroy part of the Russian military (!) fleet via #Starlink interference, @elonmusk allowed this fleet to fire Kalibr missiles at Ukrainian cities. As a result, civilians, children are…
— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) September 7, 2023
Ukraine security agency: Starlink puts Ukrainian soldiers at ‘increased risk’
A Ukraine security agency says Starlink, which has helped Ukraine keep its battlefield communications live, puts Ukrainian soldiers at “increased risk” from cyber-spies who belong to a Russian-led espionage group in occupied Crimea. The group has been known to Western security agencies for almost a decade. After a Russia sympathizer was jailed for plotting to disrupt Western arms supplies by blowing up transport infrastructure, Ukraine’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-UA) urged soldiers to install advanced anti-hacker software, saying:
Computers located outside the [computer security] protection perimeter, in particular those that use Starlink terminals to access the Internet, are at increased risk.
The CERT-UA warning comes as the agency shed fresh light on the actions of an espionage-focused hacker gang known in the West as Gamaredon, whose members were described by CERT-UA as “former ‘officers’ of the State Security Service of Ukraine” who “betrayed their military oath and began to serve the FSB [spy agency] of Russia.” (The SSSU says Gamaredon is led by five Russian intelligence agency officers.) Immediately before Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Gamaredon “tried to compromise a Western government entity in Ukraine” according to US cyber security company Palo Alto Networks.
Pentagon buys Starlink terminals for Ukraine
The Pentagon signs a contract to buy Starlink terminals and services to aid the Ukrainian military in its war against Russia. Starlink has previously donated terminals to the Ukrainian war effort. Shortly after the country was invaded, Starlink donated 3,667 terminals to Ukraine and the country had approximately 22,000 of them as of December, with funding secured to receive 10,000 more. The terminals access a network of satellites to provide internet and help maintain stable communications and internet connections for the Ukrainian military despite the attacks on their telecommunications infrastructure. Details about terminal costs, specific capabilities, contracts, and partners involved in the deal were not revealed for “security reasons.”
Musk: Kremlin drone attack ‘likely false flag’
In response to a Twitter user’s post outlining what the user sees as a lack of evidence for the Kremlin drone attack being an assassination attempt on Vladimir Putin by Ukraine, Musk says that the attack was likely a ‘false flag’ attack, meaning it could have been set up by Russia for the purpose of blaming Ukraine.
Strange days. Seems more likely a false flag than an actual (weak) assassination attempt, but either are possible.
Strange days. Seems more likely a false flag than an actual (weak) assassination attempt, but either are possible.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 3, 2023
Chinese military wants 13,000 satellites to rival Starlink
Following the success of Musk’s SpaceX Starlink in the Ukraine War, Chinese military researchers want to deploy a national mega-constellation of almost 13,000 low-orbit satellites to emulate Starlink, while military scientists are pursuing research on how to “suppress” or even damage Starlink satellites in wartime scenarios.
Chinese reaserchers in an opaque state-backed project — referred to in China’s satellite industry as “GW” or “Guowang,” translated as “State Network” — have shared concerns in public research and privately with military officials that the project is lagging too far behind SpaceX’s Starlink and should be fast-tracked after the technology withstood practical tests in Ukraine.
The Starlink constellation has finally shown its military colors in the Russia-Ukraine conflict…The focus now is to accelerate the development of China’s own constellation … and explore defensive measures against Starlink-type foreign satellites
Musk will continue to cover Ukraine Starlink costs
Despite earlier tweeting that SpaceX could not fund Starlink ‘indefinitely’, Musk says he will continue to pay for Starlink to cover Ukraine. SpaceX has told the US government that Ukraine’s use of Starlink has already cost $80 million and could cost close to $400 million over the next 12 months.
The hell with it … even though Starlink is still losing money & other companies are getting billions of taxpayer $, we’ll just keep funding Ukraine govt for free
The hell with it … even though Starlink is still losing money & other companies are getting billions of taxpayer $, we’ll just keep funding Ukraine govt for free
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 15, 2022
When a Twitter user told Musk “No good deed goes unpunished”, he replied:
Even so, we should still do good deeds.
Even so, we should still do good deeds
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 15, 2022
Musk: SpaceX cannot fund Starlink in Ukraine ‘indefinitely’
Following a report that SpaceX told the US government that Ukraine’s use of Starlink has already cost $80 million and could cost close to $400 million over the next 12 months, Musk says SpaceX cannot fund the existing system “indefinitely and send several thousand more terminals” that have high data usage. SpaceX’s donated Starlink internet terminals have been crucial in keeping Ukraine’s military online during the war against Russia.
SpaceX is not asking to recoup past expenses, but also cannot fund the existing system indefinitely *and* send several thousand more terminals that have data usage up to 100X greater than typical households. This is unreasonable.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 14, 2022
Musk also said he was following the recommendation of Andrij Melnyk, Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany, who told Musk to ‘F off’ after he posted his Twitter peace plan.
We’re just following his recommendation 🤷♂️
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 14, 2022
Musk denies Putin talk
Musk denies he talked to Putin about Ukraine, or on any topic outside of space
No, it is not. I have spoken to Putin only once and that was about 18 months ago. The subject matter was space.
When asked if he would have a talk with Putin about the Ukraine conflict, he says:
Pointless, as there is currently no overlap between Russian and Ukrainian demands – it’s not even close
No, it is not. I have spoken to Putin only once and that was about 18 months ago. The subject matter was space.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 11, 2022
Report: Musk talked to Putin before Ukraine peace plan tweet
In a mailout to subscribers, Ian Bremner, founder the political risk research and consulting firm Eurasia Group, wrote that Musk told him that Putin was “prepared to negotiate”. but only if Crimea remained Russian; if Ukraine accepted a form of permanent neutrality; and Ukraine recognised Russia’s annexation of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
According to Bremmer, Musk said Putin told him these goals would be accomplished “no matter what”, including the potential of a nuclear strike if Ukraine invaded Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. Bremmer wrote that Musk told him that “everything needed to be done to avoid that outcome.”
Bremmer also wrote that Musk said he had refused a Ukrainian request to activate Starlink in Crimea.
Zelensky posts poll in response to Musk’s Ukraine tweets
Ukraine’s president Zelensky responds to Musk’s Ukraine statements by posting a poll of his own, asking:
Which @elonmusk do you like more? One who supports Ukraine or One who supports Russia?
Musk reposnds, saying he ‘very much supports’ Ukraine:
I still very much support Ukraine, but am convinced that massive escalation of the war will cause great harm to Ukraine and possibly the world.
I still very much support Ukraine, but am convinced that massive escalation of the war will cause great harm to Ukraine and possibly the world.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 3, 2022
Ukrainian ambassador tells Musk to ‘F– off’
After Musk posts that three likely outcomes of the Ukraine War would be: Crimea be given permanently to Russia; that the four areas annexed by Russia after sham referendums in September 2020, be given new UN-monitored referendums; and that Ukraine should remain neutral and not join NATO, Melnyk, Ukraine’s outgoing ambassador to Germany, says:
F— off is my very diplomatic reply to you. The only outcome is that now no Ukrainian will EVER buy your f…ing tesla crap. So good luck to you.
Fuck off is my very diplomatic reply to you @elonmusk
— Andrij Melnyk (@MelnykAndrij) October 3, 2022
Posts Ukraine-Russia peace deal proposal and poll
Musk posts a Twitter poll to gauge support for what he claims is a likely outcome of the seven-month Ukraine-Russia conflict.
- That the Ukrainian territory of Crimea, which Russia annexed by force in 2014, be permanently given to Russia and guaranteed a permanent water supply.
- That the four regions of eastern Ukraine where Russia held sham referendums last month before illegally annexing the land be put to new referendums, this time organized by the United Nations.
- That Ukraine should be forced to remain “neutral@ accomplishing the long-term Kremlin goal of barring Ukraine from joining the NATO defensive alliance.
Musk also says that his proposal is the likely solution and that a “possible, albeit unlikely octcome from this conflict is nuclear war”.
This is highly likely to be the outcome in the end – just a question of how many die before then
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 3, 2022
Pleads not guilty
Sentsov pleads not guilty to terrorism charges relating to giving gifts of food to Ukrainian troops in Crimea, and attending anti-Crimea annexation protests. The Russian government says he is an affiliate of the Ukrainian activist group, Right Sector. The charges carry a penalty of life imprisonment, but prosecutors have offered Sentsov a 20-year term. Sentsov says he was tortured and does not consider the Russian court a court at all.
Expels Russia’s consul general
The Ukrainian government expels Shibeko, Russia’s consul general, from the Black Sea port of Odessa, declaring him ‘persona non grata’ after the Security Service of Ukraine accuses him of ‘actions incompatible with diplomatic activity.’ Ukraine security:
The security service will continue to identify foreigners who work against our government using their diplomatic status as cover.
Credit rating cut to just above junk grade
Moody’s Investors Service cuts its rating on Russian government debt to Baa2, the second ratings notch above speculative grade. The outlook on the credit rating is Negative. It cites ‘increasingly subdued medium-term growth prospects,’ exacerbated by the Ukraine crisis. Low oil prices and other factors also contribute.
‘Third world war’
Pope Francis says that conflicts around the globe represent a third World War. During a Mass held at Italy’s largest war memorial, a Fascist-era monument where 100,000 soldiers who died in World War One are buried, the pontiff appears to be referring to the recent conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Gaza, Ukraine and Africa. The homily:
Humanity needs to weep and this is the time to weep … War is madness. Even today, after the second failure of another world war, perhaps one can speak of a third war, one fought piecemeal, with crimes, massacres, destruction … War is irrational; its only plan is to bring destruction: it seeks to grow by destroying. Greed, intolerance, the lust for power. These motives underlie the decision to go to war and they are too often justified by an ideology.
70% of Russian troops withdrawn
Poroshenko says Russia has withdrawn the majority of its forces from eastern Ukraine. At a government meeting:
According to the latest information that I have received from our intelligence, 70 percent of Russian troops have been moved back across the border. This further strengthens our hope that the peace initiatives have good prospects.
Threatens to block flights
0 CommentsRussia warns that it will hit back against the West if tougher sanctions are imposed over the conflict in Ukraine. Dmitry Medvedev blames countries backing Ukraine for damaging the Russian economy with “stupid” sanctions and suggests Moscow could retaliate by stopping flights over Russian airspace. Medvedev:
If Western carriers have to bypass our airspace, this could drive many struggling airlines into bankruptcy. This is not the way to go. We just hope our partners realise this at some point.
Fighting threatens ceasefire
Fighting erupts in two Ukrainian cities, threatening the ceasefire status. Sporadic artillery and machine gun fire are reported in the early hours of Sunday on the outskirts of the strategic port city of Mariupol. A gas station is set on fire, and cars carry wounded civilians down the roads with the Mariupol city government saying pro-Russian rebels carried out the shelling near the city overnight, killing one woman and leaving three people wounded. Shelling and explosions are also heard near the airport of the flashpoint city of Donetsk on Sunday morning, the Donetsk city council says. Mariupol resident Gennady Andreyavich:
There is so much confusion. We really don’t know what will happen, because when people say we must live in a united Ukraine and we see at the same time Ukrainian forces in retreat – what should we think?
Ceasefire begins
Ukraine, Russia and the Kremlin-backed separatists sign a ceasefire deal. Gunfire and shelling appear to fall silent across the east of the country as the agreement takes effect. Poroshenko says he ordered his forces to halt hostilities at 6 p.m. local time (11 a.m. EDT) after the deal was signed in Minsk, Belarus capital, by the three sides and a representative of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Separatist leaders also say they ordered their forces to hold fire. Poroshenko says the cease-fire is based on an agreement reached during a ‘long conversation’ with Putin and will be overseen by international monitors from the OSCE. The European Union is preparing additional sanctions in case it fails. The negotiators also agree on withdrawal of all heavy weaponry, the release of all prisoners and the delivery of humanitarian aid to devastated cities in eastern Ukraine.