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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Elon Musk to yank funding for Starlink in Ukraine after official told him to 'F—k off'
2022-10-15
[NYPOST] Elon Musk said he can no longer pay for his Starlink satellite internet service to operate in Ukraine — less than two weeks after a Ukrainian official told Musk to "F—k off" over his controversial proposal for peace with Russia.

Musk had offered the SpaceX-owned service to Ukraine in February after the Russian invasion disrupted the country’s local internet services. SpaceX has since installed thousands of terminals to keep the Ukrainian military online.

On Oct. 3, however, Musk drew heavy criticism from Ukrainians for suggesting they should end the war by conceding Crimea to Russia, as well as doing a UN-supervised "redo" of elections that Russia staged to annex several regions of the country last month.

In response to the proposal, Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany wrote on Twitter: "F—k off is my very diplomatic reply to you @elonmusk."

Early Friday, Musk replied that he is now "just following his recommendation" in a Twitter thread about the Starlink shutdown.

Mercutio gives us a slightly more pungent take in the story:
Ukraine Steps on Their

[OTP] Elon Musk apparently has run out of patience with Ukraine. His SpaceX firm announced it no longer can afford to donate satellite internet service to Ukraine.

Musk said he was spending about $20 million monthly to help Ukraine, and noted that competitors such as Lockheed and Boeing are the beneficiaries of tens of billions of dollars from the Pentagon.

Musk’s decision doesn’t appear to be solely about money. Musk recently suggested a peace plan, which was harshly criticized by Ukraine President Zelensky and others.

Most memorably, Andrij Melnyk, the Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, replied to Musk: "F*ck off is my very diplomatic reply to you. The only outcome is that now no Ukrainian will EVER buy your f*cking Tesla crap. So good luck to you."
Ukes were the beneficiaries of good communications via Starlink, which Musk donated. Do Svdanya.
Related:
Starlink: 2022-10-14 Chronology of the war in Ukraine: Thursday, October 13
Starlink: 2022-10-12 Russian Perspective: Operation to Denazify Ukraine: Operational Brief October 11th (updated)
Starlink: 2022-10-09 Good Morning
Posted by:Fred

#46  *giggle*
Posted by: trailing wife   2022-10-15 23:49  

#45  Don’t be tyrannosaurical
Posted by: Flese Gleagum8510   2022-10-15 22:18  

#44   It was just a test, to see if he can function as a preternational …

It’s not even a word. The word is preternatural.
Posted by: Tyranysaurus Jones4656   2022-10-15 21:18  

#43  Larry Johnson’s blog

Also indispensable is the “Moon of Alabama” blog of Helmholtz Smith
Posted by: Palermo    2022-10-15 19:18  

#42  Former CIA Analyst and Counter-Terrorism Special Forces Trainer Larry Johnson yesterday:

NATO is playing a dangerous game that poses a risk of escalating into a nuclear war with Russia. Sorry to ruin your Friday night. NATO is kicking off its annual nuclear weapons exercise today–i.e. STEADFAST NOON.

Although this exercise has not been ginned up in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it comes at a delicate time and will have Russia raising its nuclear alert level. While it is true that NATO conducts this exercise every year at this time, it is foolish to pretend that the war in Ukraine is irrelevant.

Why? Because NATO is exercising deploying nuclear weapons, arming planes with those weapons and simulating an attack on Russia. Do you think the Russians do not give a shit?

I want you to understand the history behind this exercise. Here is the description from the 2020 version of Steadfast Noon, which the Netherlands hosted:

“Today’s exercise shows that allies are determined to ensure that NATO’s nuclear deterrent remains safe, secure, and effective,” said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg while visiting Volkel Air Base in the Netherlands for the exercise on Oct. 16. “The purpose of NATO’s nuclear deterrent is not to provoke a conflict but to preserve peace, deter aggression, and prevent coercion.”

This year, the training flights took place over parts of western Europe and the North Sea.

The annual exercise, known as Steadfast Noon, is designed to practice and assess NATO’s nuclear capabilities deployed in Europe. It is planned far in advance and involves more than 50 aircraft from several allied air forces. The aircraft do not carry live bombs during the exercise flights.

The United States deploys an estimated 20 B61 tactical bombs each at Büchel and Volkel air bases, according to the Federation of American Scientists. About 100 U.S. tactical bombs are believed to be deployed at bases in Belgium, Italy, and Turkey.


The seemingly innocuous phrase, “training flights”, is a euphemism for loading with planes with mock up nuclear weapons and sending them on a flight pattern that simulates attacking Russia. Nothing provocative there, right?
Posted by: Palermo   2022-10-15 19:15  

#41  but as Pentagon funded units they would be more reticent to do so.

I call bullshit. They’ll take them out either way
Posted by: America First   2022-10-15 18:48  

#40  Street corner coke marketing.
Give'em a taste, they'll come back for a pound.
Posted by: Skidmark   2022-10-15 18:06  

#39  It’s my understanding that the Russians had no compunction “turning off” the purely civilian Starlink satellites over Ukraine - but as Pentagon funded units they would be more reticent to do so.

And of course as a naturalized citizen Musk isn’t eligible for the presidency or vice presidency
Posted by: Slenter Panda4300   2022-10-15 17:54  

#38  Not with our money. No more taxpayer dollars down that rathole.
Posted by: America First   2022-10-15 17:52  

#37  [LI] Pentagon Now Negotiating with Elon Musk’s Company over Ukraine’s Starlink Funding
Posted by: Frank G   2022-10-15 17:33  

#36  Oh, wait. I got banned from Instamoron for saying that...
Posted by: M. Murcek   2022-10-15 16:21  

#35  Musk backed down. His acolytes are idiots.
Posted by: M. Murcek   2022-10-15 16:20  

#34  Gee. What did the gummint do to Hank Rearden in Atlas Shrugged?
Posted by: M. Murcek   2022-10-15 16:07  

#33  Me as well. Why continue to feed a dog that bites ?
Posted by: Besoeker   2022-10-15 16:05  

#32  Musk is giving them free service and they tell him they don’t want to hear what he thinks so he stops giving them free service; makes perfect sense to me.
Posted by: Glenmore    2022-10-15 16:03  

#31  Musk is not John Galt. If that statement pisses you off, you need to sit down and rethink your views.
Posted by: M. Murcek   2022-10-15 14:13  

#30  Er, whoever "they" are. A bit unsettling that we don't even know who is leading us into this mess.
Posted by: Abu Uluque   2022-10-15 14:09  

#29  maybe we should start a HUD agency for countries THEY THEM decide to play risk in we shall acronym it WUD war and urban development they get welfare already! instead of 3 a.m. phone call for burnt out light bulbs it will be wahhhhhhh i am out of bullets!
Posted by: Cholutle Thrans9751   2022-10-15 14:07  

#28  I'm not even sure we can respond to a Nuclear Exchange due to Biden! Dementia man may not even be able to READ the codes.

Surely you don't believe they let Biden have the football.
Posted by: Abu Uluque   2022-10-15 14:07  

#27  You'd think a guy who has earned (however he earned it) an appointment as an ambassador would know enough to be a bit more diplomatic with one of his country's primary benefactors.
Posted by: Abu Uluque   2022-10-15 14:04  

#26  I like how everyone is missing Musk's point in his original comment. Which was, Russia already has the breakaway regions, they are majority Russian-speaking and identified with Russia more even before 2014, Ukraine is as corrupt as Russia, and the whole damn country isn't worth NUCLEAR WAR. The latter part took up alot of consideration.

But pointing out Ukraine isn't worth a nuclear WW3 wasn't very popular among some people. And he's right about that. It's not like this is Kosovo, Ukraine is right on Russia's doorstep. With Finland joining NATO, well, Russia isn't the US when it comes to borders.

I'm not even sure we can respond to a Nuclear Exchange due to Biden! Dementia man may not even be able to READ the codes.
Posted by: Charles   2022-10-15 14:00  

#25  Anyone who thinks Musk would make a better president than Bezos or Gates is really not paying attention.
Posted by: M. Murcek   2022-10-15 13:34  

#24  Just a form of welfare, just at the geopolitical level.
Posted by: DooDahMan   2022-10-15 13:13  

#23  It does seem as if the Ukrainians have a sense of entitlement regarding western money and support.
Posted by: ruprecht   2022-10-15 12:53  

#22  So ten months and $Billions later, nobody thought about paying for their internet subscription?

And to the one character and story in Chapter 1 which was actually real?
Posted by: swksvolFF   2022-10-15 10:00  

#21  Musk for Vice-President
Posted by: Nate B Forrest    2022-10-15 09:46  

#20  Vindman is a Lincoln Project operative. Lincoln leftest uses Twitter to spread their anti-Trump rhetoric. Little wonder they are bad-mouthing Musk, who is revealing the Twitter disinfo network for wat it is.
Posted by: Besoeker   2022-10-15 09:17  

#19  ..hey let's not step on anybody's graft money.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2022-10-15 09:17  

#18  
And anybody who says 'fuck off!' after a free lunch and a pat on the back deserves a boot in the arse to go with it.
Posted by: Dron66046   2022-10-15 09:03  

#17  It's rather simple. His assist to UKR forces wasn't some philanthropic largesse to a David fighting Goliath. It was just a test, to see if he can function as a preternational [sorry I can't think of another word] mercenary C4ISR facilitator whilst maintaining he is just another rich adventurist.

Test performed to satisfaction and he helped the forces win a few. Think of it as the free sample of tofu the crazy lady brings around to make you think of going vegan. He was never going to use Starlink for any noble purposes anyway.
Posted by: Dron66046   2022-10-15 09:01  

#16  Alexander Vindman Gets Back to His Tyrannical Roots in Deranged Rant Against Elon Musk
Posted by: Skidmark   2022-10-15 08:53  

#15  There's a free lunch, but it will cost you.
Posted by: Besoeker   2022-10-15 08:04  

#14  There is no free lunch.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2022-10-15 07:44  

#13  Elon Musk says he's 'just following ambassador's recommendation' as he hints he will withdraw Ukraine's crucial Starlink internet after diplomat told him to 'f**k off' when he suggested giving territory to Putin
Posted by: Skidmark   2022-10-15 07:33  

#12  What, is Ukraine too poor or something? They have tens of billions of our tax dollars, they can find the cash for a few hundred internet service plans.

Tough to come up with the dosh when you’ve stolen half of the tens of billions Uncle Sam sent you
Posted by: Palermo   2022-10-15 07:24  

#11  “We’re just following his recommendation”

Epic reply by Musk. Brilliant!

Musk should run for Vice President alongside Trump
Posted by: Palermo   2022-10-15 06:59  

#10  This Larry Johnson:

As someone who worked first hand on the CIA’s Afghanistan propaganda campaign in 1985-86, I feel somewhat qualified to comment on the scale and scope of the current propaganda campaign intended to whip up support in the West for Ukraine and galvanize international outrage against Russia–it is titanic and it is out of control.
Posted by: Palermo   2022-10-15 06:57  

#9  Larry Johnson? Iran's PressTV's bitch?
Posted by: Frank G   2022-10-15 06:53  

#8  “Get your wittle fewweings hurt?”

Hahaha

CAN THE FLOOD OF LIES ABOUT UKRAINE AND RUSSIA BE STAUNCHED?
12 October 2022 by Larry Johnson

Posted by: Palermo   2022-10-15 06:51  

#7  "Fuck off dickhead."

I'm confused - that's exactly what he's doing. He was told in no uncertain terms to fuck right off and take his bullshit with him.

Elon: "Your terms are acceptable."

It's not like this is going away. It's amazing how people are so quickly fooled by propaganda. He's just saying he's not going to be publicly abused and then provide a service to those abusers for free. Would you do the same?

What, is Ukraine too poor or something? They have tens of billions of our tax dollars, they can find the cash for a few hundred internet service plans.

Posted by: Spike the Hairy6811   2022-10-15 05:07  

#6  Fuck off, dickhead

Kinzinger, is that you?
Posted by: Vinegar Graique5129   2022-10-15 04:56  

#5  
Posted by: Big Elmealing5375   2022-10-15 04:23  

#4  Receiving defense contract payments while outsourcing jobs to India. Elon is not alone.
Posted by: Dale   2022-10-15 03:15  

#3  Musk requests Pentagon pay him for Ukraine Star link efforts. He should have asked deep pockets Biden for the funding.
Posted by: Dale   2022-10-15 03:09  

#2  Reality has set in. More opportunity with 2/3 of the worlds population. Go where the money is.
Posted by: Dale   2022-10-15 02:55  

#1  Aaaaah. Get your wittle fewweings hurt? Fuck off dickhead. After the murders, torture chambers and rape rooms you get no say in how Ukraine handles its affairs. You are willing to sentence not only Ukrainians to genocide but millions of Taiwanese as well for the almighty dollar?

I hope you die a painful death.
Posted by: DarthVader   2022-10-15 01:16  

00:00