Ukraine will turn to its foreign partners for help in financing Starlink satellite Internet systems, which SpaceX currently provides for free, if the company starts demanding payment, Ukrainian Defense Minister Alexei Reznikov told Reuters.

"We will try to find the funds. (We) have partners in different countries. We will ask them to help us, to assist us with finance aid also," Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said in an interview, when asked if Kyiv would cover the costs if SpaceX asked for payment.

Ukraine's armed forces rely on thousands of Starlink devices to communicate on the front lines, where normal cellular signal is either non-existent or easily intercepted.

SpaceX owner Elon Musk, had previously publicly complained about the financial losses SpaceX was incurring in Ukraine, but later promised to continue providing services "for free."

"We got his promises that he will continue to arrange the service for our Starlinks in Ukraine," Reznikov told Reuters.

He said SpaceX provides "some" satellites for free, while Ukraine pays for others. He declined to give figures.