Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has come to the rescue after Ukraine asked for his help restoring the country’s Internet access amid the invasion from Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his forces to destroy Ukraine’s Internet and other infrastructure in an effort to cut off their connection to the outside world.
The Ukrainian government has been battling to debunk propaganda that is being spread by Russia to demoralize Ukraine’s resisting citizens.
Russia is attempting to shut down the Internet to stop the propaganda campaign from being undermined with stories of hope and victory reaching the Ukrainian people.
However, the Ukrainian government has been struggling to keep Internet access up and running due to the Russian attacks.
Enter Elon Musk, who has announced his American aerospace company has stepped in to give Ukraine unlimited Internet access that cannot be stopped by Putin’s forces.
Musk said late on Saturday that SpaceX’s Starlink satellite broadband service is now available in Ukraine with more terminals en route to the country.
Musk made the remark on social media in response to a tweet from Mykhailo Fedorov, the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine.
“@elonmusk, while you try to colonize Mars — Russia try to occupy Ukraine!” Fedorov tweeted.
“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.”
Ukraine highlighted the tweet, writing: “Dear @elonmusk, Ukraine needs your support. Your stance and your actions matter.
“An appeal by our Minister of Digital Transformation here.”
Dear @elonmusk 👋
Ukraine needs your support. Your stance and your actions matter.
An appeal by our Minister of Digital Transformation here👇 https://t.co/7dhrwApApZ
— Ukraine / Україна (@Ukraine) February 26, 2022
“Starlink service is now active in Ukraine,” Musk responded.
“More terminals en route.”
Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 26, 2022
“Starlink terminals are coming to Ukraine!” Fedorov later responded.
“Thank you @elonmusk , thank you everyone, who supported Ukraine!”
The Ukrainian government tweeted: “Thanx, appreciate it.”
“Starlink provides high-speed, low-latency broadband internet across the globe,” SpaceX says.
“Within each coverage area, orders are fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis.
“Using advanced satellites in a low orbit, Starlink enables video calls, online gaming, streaming, and other high data rate activities that historically have not been possible with satellite internet.”
“Starlink is ideally suited for areas where connectivity has been unreliable or completely unavailable,” the company added.
“People across the globe are using Starlink to gain access to education, health services, and even communications support during natural disasters.”
The plea from the Ukrainian government comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion into Ukraine late this week that has included heavy fighting in seemingly all the major cities throughout the country.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly refused to be evacuated from the country’s capital city of Kyiv as Russian military forces attacked the city and surrounding areas.
A senior American intelligence official with direct knowledge of the conversation that U.S. officials had with Zelensky when he was reportedly asked to evacuate says that Zelensky responded: “The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride.”
“Anyone who wants to come over here and defend our country, please come, and we will give you arms,” Zelensky told the media on Saturday.
“Anybody defends will have been glorified.”
Zelensky made the same offer earlier in the week, saying in a statement, “We will give weapons to anyone who wants to defend the country.
“Be ready to support Ukraine in the squares of our cities.”
“We will lift sanctions on all citizens of Ukraine who are ready to defend our country as part of the territorial defense with weapons in hands,” Zelenksy continued.
NATO activated the NATO Response Force for the first time ever on Friday, which readies thousands of soldiers who are part of the multinational force consisting of land, air, sea, and special operations forces.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned during a press conference on Friday that Putin’s “objectives are not limited to Ukraine.”
