The world’s richest man sparred with the Foreign Minister of Poland after he called him and his company an “unreliable provider”.
Sikorski made the remarks after Musk, one of United States President Donald Trump’s most powerful backers, said the Ukrainian army’s “entire front line would collapse” if not for Starlink.
“I literally challenged Putin to one on one physical combat over Ukraine and my Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian army. Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off,” Musk wrote in response to an X user who accused him of not behaving as if Russia is the aggressor and only criticising Ukraine.
“What I am sickened by is years of slaughter in a stalemate that Ukraine will inevitably lose.”
Rubio came to Musk’s defence after Sikorski’s post, said the Polish leader of “making things up”.
“No one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink,” Rubio said.
“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.”
‘Starlink will never turn off its terminals’
Musk later lashed out at Sikorski himself, posting: “Be quiet, small man. You pay a tiny fraction of the cost. And there is no substitute for Starlink.”
There have been media reports that the United States wants to cut off Starlink to Ukraine.
“To be extremely clear, no matter how much I disagree with the Ukraine policy, Starlink will never turn off its terminals,” Musk wrote.
“I am simply stating that, without Starlink, the Ukrainian lines would collapse, as the Russians can jam all other communications! We would never do such a thing or use it as a bargaining chip.”
Poland funded about half of the roughly 42,000 Starlink terminals working in Ukraine.
The terminals have given vital internet connectivity for Ukraine’s armed forces and essential services after Russia’s bloeinh up of the country’s communications networks as a part of its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Trump last week ordered a halt to all military aid to Ukraine, and last week, CIA Director John Ratcliffe told the media the US had also halted intelligence cooperation with Ukraine.
As a result of this Russian forces continue to do very well and are advancing against Ukraine in the Kursk region.
Follow Nouba News for more updates on the war in Ukraine.