Billionaire Elon Musk says his Starlink satellite internet service is active in Ukraine in response to a request on social media from the Ukraine government.
Internet services across the country have seen "significant disruptions" due to Russian military operations and the ensuing fighting.
Ukraine's vice PM, Fedorov Mykhailo - whois also the minister of digital transformation - tweeted to the SpaceX founder: "While you try to colonise Mars - Russia try to occupy Ukraine! While your rockets successfully land from space - Russian rockets attack Ukrainian civil people! We ask you to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations and to address sane Russians to stand."
@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! We ask you to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations and to address sane Russians to stand.
SpaceX's Starlink satellite technology can provide internet for people who live in rural or hard-to-serve places where fibre-optic cables and cell towers do not reach.
Tonga recently had SpaceX engineers install 50 VSAT terminals after the devastating Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai underwater volcano eruption.
Cities across Ukraine have left parts of the country with internet outages.
A string of SpaceX StarLink satellites pass over an old stone house near Florence, Kansas. Photo / AP
The move could thwart any attempts by Russia to cut off Ukrainians' access to the internet.
WOW—Starlink satellite 🛰 internet activated for Ukraine!!! This circumvents Putin’s attempts to cut off 🇺🇦’s internet from the world. Democracy dies in darkness—unless you circumvent Putin. Thank you @elonmusk 🙏 https://t.co/yO21HGzlTY
3) Putin definitely will not like this. What a crazy time to be alive. Seriously, stop and think about it. No oligarch or king or emperor in history could be usurped like this. Unblocked Starlink for Russia 🇷🇺 wide next!https://t.co/YwdB6oqALF
