Elon Musk, chief
of SpaceX, said Saturday that some governments, not Ukraine, was asking Starlink
broadband service to block Russian news sources. The 50-year-old billionaire tweeted:
“Starlink has been told by some governments (not Ukraine) to block Russian news
sources. We will not do so unless at gunpoint. Sorry to be a free speech
absolutist.”

Musk further said
Space X was reprioritised to cyber defense and overcoming signal jamming will
cause slight delays in Starship and Starlink V2.

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When the Russian
aggression in Ukraine began affecting civilian infrastructure, Elon Musk shipped
Starlink terminals to the war-ravaged nation. The terminals have kept the
country connect at a time other communication systems have largely failed.

Musk had earlier claimed
that there was high chance that Starlink could be targeted. He tweeted: “Important
warning: Starlink is the only non-Russian communications system still working
in some parts of Ukraine, so probability of being targeted is high. Please use
with caution.”

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Musk called upon
users turn on Starlink only when necessary and place the antennae from as far away
from people as possible and “place light camouflage over antennae to avoid
visual detection.”   

Musk’s warning
came days after an internet security analyst said that devices used for
satellite communications may become “beacons” that Russia might target for air
strikes.

Russia, on
Tuesday, did attack a main television tower in Ukraine capital Kyiv.   

Ukraine
Vice-President Mykhailo Federov tweeted a couple of days: “Starlink keeps our
cities connected
and emergency services saving lives!”

In the same tweet,
Federov said that as the Russians attack infrastructure, they will need
generators to keep the services working. The vice-president tagged a bunch of
companies which he thought might help the Ukraine obtain such devices.

A conversation ensued
between Musk and Federov in which the billionaire suggested: “Solar panels and
batter pack than generator, as no heat signature or smoke and doesn’t run out
of fuel.”