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- SpaceX’s Starlink was told by some governments to block Russian news sources from Starlink.
- On Saturday, Elon Musk tweeted the company will not do so “unless at gunpoint.”
- Musk had previously shared concerns over Starlink systems being targeted in Ukraine.
SpaceX’s Elon Musk tweeted on Saturday that Starlink was told by some governments to block Russian news sources.
Musk said on Twitter: “Starlink has been told by some governments (not Ukraine) to block Russian news sources.”
“We will not do so unless at gunpoint,” he added. “Sorry to be a free speech absolutist.”
—Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 5, 2022
SpaceX did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.
On Friday, the CEO warned Starlink systems could be “targeted” in Ukraine and advised people to use it with caution as the system “is the only non-Russian communications system still working in some parts of Ukraine,” Insider reported.
Musk said in another tweet, minutes before announcing that it would not block Russia’s news outlets: “SpaceX reprioritized to cyber defense & overcoming signal jamming.”
He added that it “will cause slight delays in Starship & Starlink V2.”
Musk said on February 27 that SpaceX had activated its Starlink internet service in Ukraine after pleas from Mykhailo Fedorov, vice prime minister and the minister of digital transformation, to provide more Starlink stations as the Russian invasion is disrupting the country’s internet services.
Insider’s Kate Duffy reported recently that a Starlink customer in Ukraine said he had readied his satellite internet dish for emergency use, in case regular
broadband
services were cut during Russia’s invasion.
In early February, SpaceX launched a faster version of the satellite internet service, called Starlink Premium. It said the version was designed for better performance in extreme weather conditions.