The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) reported on April 5, that a total of 5,000 Starlink terminals were delivered to Ukraine to provide communications services in the country. SpaceX donated 3,667 terminals and the Internet service itself, and an additional 1,333 terminals were purchased by USAID. The report also states that the total amount of donation made in a public-private partnership with SpaceX is $10 million.
“The Starlink satellite terminals will enable unlimited, unthrottled data connectivity from anywhere in Ukraine. The terminals will allow public officials and critical citizen service providers to continue to communicate within Ukraine and with the outside world,” — said USAID in a statement shared by space reporter Joey Roulette.
The organization also said it has been working closely with humanitarian partners in Ukraine since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a military invasion on February 24. USAID also said that the communications assistance is designed to help Ukraine respond to cyber attacks, misinformation, threats to the energy sector, basic health needs, and ensure the smooth running of the Ukrainian government.
It is worth mentioning that SpaceX activated its Starlink satellites to provide Internet services in Ukraine last month, when Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov turned to Elon Musk for help. Fedorov said that Russia’s attack on Ukraine disrupted our communications system, after which Internet satellites were activated in the region. In the following days, SpaceX sent more Starlink terminals to connect to Internet satellites.
Musk recently warned that satellites can be hacked, and his prophecy came true, as he later confirmed. However, he said that SpaceX managed to prevent hackers from disrupting Starlink services in Ukraine. Musk said more than 2,000 Starlink satellites have been launched so far, and his company plans to activate another 4,200 over the next 18 months.
You can also help Ukraine fight with Russian occupants via Savelife or via an official page of the National Bank of Ukraine.
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