SAN FRANCISCO: SpaceX billionaire Elon Musk said that the company’s Starlink satellite broadband service is available in Ukraine and is sending more terminals to the country after the internet was disrupted due to the Russian invasion.
“Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route,” Musk tweeted. He was responding to a tweet by a Ukraine government official who asked Musk to provide the embattled country with Starlink stations amid a Russian invasion that disrupted Ukraine’s internet services.
“@elonmusk, while you try to colonize Mars — Russia try to occupy Ukraine! While your rockets successfully land from space — Russian rockets attack Ukrainian civil people!” Ukraine’s vice prime minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, tweeted. “We ask you to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations and to address sane Russians to stand.”
Musk responded just 10 hours later, saying he had granted the request. In response to Musk’s announcement, the official Twitter account for Ukraine tweeted, “Thanx, appreciate it.”
thanx, appreciate it https://t.co/OWm2Yu2WKC
— Ukraine / Україна (@Ukraine) February 26, 2022
Internet connectivity in Ukraine has been affected by the Russian invasion, particularly in the southern and eastern parts of the country where fighting has been heaviest, internet monitors said. Connectivity to the country’s main internet provider even briefly plunged by 20% on Friday, but it was unclear how much was caused by Ukrainians fleeing their homes.
While extremely costly to deploy, satellite technology can provide internet for people who live in rural or hard-to-serve places where fiber optic cables and cell towers do not reach. The technology can also be a critical backstop when hurricanes or other natural disasters disrupt communication. Musk has said that SpaceX had 1,469 Starlink satellites active and 272 moving to operational orbits soon.
This isn’t the first time SpaceX has offered to send Starlink terminals to countries in need. Last month, Musk similarly offered to send the terminals to Tonga, where a volcanic eruption disrupted internet access across the country.
