- In the days before and after Russia invaded Ukraine, fears grew about disruption to the internet.
- SpaceX's Starlink was soon touted as one potential solution to the problem.
- Insider took a closer look at the details surrounding Starlink's use in Ukraine.
Russia invaded Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday, February 24, with the stated intention of "denazification," a claim that has been frequently debunked.
The invasion followed a lengthy speech by Russian President Vladimir Putin two days earlier, in which he claimed that Ukraine wasn't a real country.
As troops advanced, Ukraine's internet access was disrupted, which raised fears about citizens' ability to stay in touch with relatives, find safety, and share their experiences with those outside the country.
SpaceX's Starlink was touted as one possible solution because it is suited for use in areas where connectivity has been unreliable or completely unavailable.
Here's what we know so far about Starlink systems operating in Ukraine:
A plea to remain connected
The day after the attack, Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's vice prime minister, who also oversees digital transformation, posted a tweet in which he urged SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations.
Musk was quick to react. Just 10 hours later, he responded that the system was now active in Ukraine and that more terminals were en route.
Musk kept his word
Two days after the Twitter exchange with Fedorov, a truck full of Starlink terminals arrived in Ukraine, according to a government official.
Fedorov thanked Musk on Twitter and posted a picture of the truck.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky also thanked Musk for "supporting Ukraine with words and deeds."
—Mykhailo Fedorov (@FedorovMykhailo) February 28, 2022
—Mykhailo Fedorov (@FedorovMykhailo) February 28, 2022
Getting connected
One Starlink customer, Oleg Kutkov, said he decided to try and connect to the service after seeing Musk's tweet about it being activated in Ukraine, as Insider's Kate Duffy reported. He said he didn't expect Starlink to go live so soon after Ukraine asked Musk to sent Starlink kits.
After an initial failure, Kutkov said he successfully tested the Starlink kit and found the results "amazing."
A potential target
Musk advised users to be careful when using Starlink as he believed the systems could be targeted in the ongoing war. He advised users to place the antenna as far away from people as possible and to cover the device with "light camouflage" to avoid detection.
—Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 3, 2022
Pledge to remain neutral
Some governments asked that Starlink block Russian news sources, according to a tweet by Musk on Saturday.
However, he said: "We will not do so unless at gunpoint. Sorry to be a free speech absolutist."