A UNITED States Brigadier General working closely with Starlink and SpaceX has praised the companies’ efforts to provide internet connectivity for the Ukrainian people during the Russian invasion.
Elon Musk personally promised the delivery of Starlink terminals to Ukraine after Russian campaigns to hack and destroy existing internet systems.
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On February 26, two days after Vladimir Putin mobilized his army, a Ukrainian official tweeted:
“@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.”
Later that day, Musk responded “Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route.”
Today, Ukrainians rely on Starlink to relay military intelligence, stay in touch with their families, and keep informed with the world’s perception of the conflict.
Putin’s aggressive invasion of a sovereign nation was always dependent on controlling the narrative in both Ukraine and Russia.
But Starlink has provided a lifeline for the people and a microphone for Ukraine’s leader – “The strategic impact is, it totally destroyed [Vladimir] Putin’s information campaign,” US Brigadier General Steven Butow told Politico.
“He never, to this day, has been able to silence [Ukranian president] Zelenskyy,” Brigadier General Butow added.
President Zelenskyy has publicly praised Starlink and all its done to keep the Ukrainian effort and spirit alive.
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“Sometimes we completely lost communication with those places. To lose contact with those people is to lose control completely, to lose reality,” Zelenskyy told Wired.
“I am really grateful for the support of Starlink,” Zelenskyy said.
Ukrainian soldiers share the same sentiment – Politico detailed the use of Starlink on the front lines.
“There’s no communication for us with the outside world without Starlink,” a volunteer said.
SpaceX is covering the cost of Starlink internet usage in Ukraine – the hardware comes with a price tag of $499 and the satellite-powered service is $110 a month.
15,000 Starlink terminals have been delivered to Ukraine, according to SpaceX.
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