Ukraine has received a batch of terminals needed to connect to the satellite internet constellation Starlink. The network is operated by Spacex, the aerospace manufacturer founded and managed by U.S. tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, and offers high-speed broadband internet across the globe.
The arrival was announced by Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraines deputy prime minister and minister of digital transformation. “Starlink — here. Thanks, @elonmusk,” the Kyiv official tweeted on Monday, posting a photo of a truck full of antennas and routers used to connect to the satellites.
On Saturday, Fedorov took to Twitter to ask the billionaire to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations. The call was issued after media reports revealed that the internet monitor Netblocks had registered “significant disruptions to internet service” in the country since the launch of the Russian military assault on Feb. 24.
“Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route,” Musk replied within hours. “Starlink terminals are coming to Ukraine!” the Ukrainian minister confirmed later, thanking Elon Musk and others supporting his country.
Ukrainian reports on social media have indicated that Starlink equipment is already working in the capital Kyiv. According to a tweet by software and communications engineer Oleg Kutkov, the internet connections top speed has exceeded 200 Mbps at some point.
Since the beginning of the Russian military offensive, Ukrainian officials have issued numerous calls for help from the international community. To support its defense and other efforts, the government of the East European nation started accepting donations in various cryptocurrencies.
Russian forces have been advancing from multiple directions, threatening to cut off major urban centers, including the capital Kyiv and Ukraines second largest city, Kharkiv. Problems with communication are likely to grow and affect many industries, including the crypto sector which Ukraine has been trying to regulate. Starlink notes on its website that the service is suited for areas with unreliable or unavailable connectivity.