Satellite service activated
Musk secures internet access for Ukrainians with Starlink
02/27/2022, 08:11 am
Russian troops destroy important infrastructure in Ukraine. It is becoming increasingly difficult for local people to access the Internet. The Ukrainian Minister for Digital Affairs is therefore asking US tech billionaire Musk for help – and he is responding.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk is supporting Russia-invaded Ukraine with his Starlink satellite internet service after the Russian invasion appeared to have destroyed such infrastructure in the country. “Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals on the way,” Musk wrote on Twitter.
In doing so, he complied with a request from the Ukrainian Minister for Digitization, Deputy Prime Minister Mychajlo Fedorov. The latter had contacted Musk directly via Twitter. “While you are trying to colonize Mars, Russia is trying to occupy Ukraine,” Fedorov wrote to Musk on Twitter. He should please activate the Starlink service in Ukraine. In response to Musk’s response, Fedorov thanked the American and “everyone” who supports Ukraine.
SpaceX’s Starlink operates around 2,000 satellites. The aim of the program is to give large parts of the world access to the Internet. On Friday, the company launched around 50 more satellites. It was initially unclear whether and how the service could actually be used in Ukraine.