Starlink Service Is Active in Ukraine and More Terminals Are on the Way

Elon Musk may become a hero for Ukraine with his Starlink service. On Saturday, February 26, the CEO of SpaceX announced that the company’s Starlink service is active in Ukraine, which is experiencing internet outages due to Russia’s invasion.

The invasion, which has been taking place in recent days, has hampered internet service across some locations in Ukraine. NetBlocks reported the first issue on Twitter, stating, “Confirmed: Significant internet disruption registered in #Ukraine-controlled city of #Kharkiv shortly after huge explosions heard; users report loss of fixed-line service on provider Triolan while cellphones continue to work.”

The internet connection in Ukraine is still generally active, evident by the presence of Ukrainian government officials on Twitter to keep its citizens informed. However, while the war continues, it’s possible that Ukraine’s internet infrastructure will be jeopardized, exacerbating the situation as the country’s communication collapses.

Elon Musk’s pledge of Starlink service to Ukraine amid an onslaught

Updates from NetBlocks regarding internet service disruptions are continuing elsewhere in Ukraine. It has caused a major concern for the country, as expressed by Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation, who did not hesitate to openly approach Tesla CEO Elon Musk for a plea on his Twitter account.

Fedorov asked Musk, as the owner of the SpaceX-operated Starlink project, which provides satellite internet access coverage across the globe, to take action in response to the internet service outages in Ukraine caused by the Russian attack. The tweet, which, by implication, sounds like criticism, elicited a response from Musk, who looked confident, as always.

“Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route,” Musk said in a twitter reply. If Musk honors his promise to Ukraine, and the Ukrainian government and people can connect to the Starlink network, it will be a great boon to Ukraine. Moreover, the attacks launched have also moved to cyber-attacks.

We can quite expect from him in this Russia-Ukraine tension, given Musk’s previous relief efforts for the Pacific Ocean island nation of Tonga. He provided free internet access via 50 Starlink terminals sent to the location following the devastating volcano eruption and tsunami last January. His Starlink terminals helped in the reconnection of communications, particularly in the disaster-affected areas.

Starlink service in Ukraine

The Starlink service provides high-speed internet connectivity via a massive satellite constellation deployed in low Earth orbit, with the goal of covering the whole internet network on Earth. Space-based internet service offers a valuable alternative when ground-based internet service is susceptible to wars or natural disasters and is prone to facing distribution issues, particularly in remote areas.

It also contributes to the security of Ukraine’s internet service, especially during times of war. The Starlink service is delivered via a network of relay towers and satellite constellations in low-Earth orbit, and landing on a target on satellites would be difficult for Russian troops. Besides, “the relay towers that Starlink uses to provide internet coverage will be stationed in neighboring countries, where Russian troops can’t target them,” as mentioned in Fortune.

Now that Musk has stated that the Starlink service is active in Ukraine, users will need to install Starlink satellite dishes in order to receive signals and utilize the service. More Starlink terminals are on their way, according to Musk, although it’s uncertain how those terminals will reach Ukraine’s government amid the conflict.