Starlink will continue to fund Ukraine satellite network for free, Musk says after requesting U.S. to take over

Starlink will continue to fund the satellite network providing battlefield communications for the Ukrainian military during the war with Russia, according to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.

"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," Musk tweeted on Saturday.

This comes after Musk asked the U.S. Defense Department to take over funding the Starlink satellite network on Friday, a U.S. official told NBC News.

Musk’s Starlink is a low-orbit satellite constellation operated by SpaceX that provides internet service and has been crucial in Ukraine since the Russian invasion in February. 

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Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said the Pentagon had “received correspondence from SpaceX about the funding of Starlink.”

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“We remain in communication with SpaceX about this and other topics,” Singh added in a statement on Friday.

NBC News has reached out to SpaceX for comment.