In 2022, amidst the Russian invasion, Ukraine requested American aerospace company SpaceX to activate their Starlink satellite internet service in the country to replace internet and communication networks degraded or destroyed during the war.[2][3] Starlink has since been used by Ukrainian civilians, government and military.[3][4] The satellite service has served for humanitarian purposes, as well as defense and attacks on Russian positions.[5]
SpaceX provided and funded Starlink services to Ukraine largely on their own in the beginning.[6][7][8] Starlink expenses for Ukraine are currently covered by the US Department of Defense through a contract with SpaceX.[9]
SpaceX executives have disapproved the use of Starlink for offensive warfare and declined to extend Starlink availability outside of the country's borders, including in Russian-occupied territories like Crimea.[10][5] This stance was criticized by Ukraine as it prevented them from carrying out military operations in those areas.[11][12][13]
In Russia, the use of Starlink to attack Russian targets has been criticized by government officials, while the country's military has repeatedly tried to disrupt Starlink services in Ukraine.[14][9]
Through his company SpaceX and division Starlink, Elon Musk's involvement in the Russo-Ukrainian War has been significant, and met with concerns.[15]
- ^ Kitsoft. "Віталій Кличко: Пристрої глобальної супутникової системи Starlink уже в Києві". Офіційний портал КМДА - Головна (in Ukrainian). Retrieved September 11, 2023.
- ^ Elon Musk says SpaceX's Starlink satellites active over Ukraine after request from embattled country's leaders, The Independent (26 February 2022)
- ^ a b "Elon Musk's Starlink arrives in Ukraine but what next?". BBC News. March 1, 2022. Archived from the original on July 9, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
- ^ Sabbagh, Dan (February 9, 2023). "Fury in Ukraine as Elon Musk's SpaceX limits Starlink use for drones". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ a b "How Elon Musk's satellites have saved Ukraine and changed warfare". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
- ^ "SpaceX, USAID deliver 5,000 satellite internet terminals to Ukraine". Reuters. April 6, 2022. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
- ^ Matthew Luxmoore (October 14, 2022). "Elon Musk said the cost of maintaining Starlink terminals in Ukraine is approaching $20 million a month and SpaceX can't fund the service indefinitely". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
Elon Musk said the cost of maintaining Starlink terminals in Ukraine is approaching $20 million a month and SpaceX can't fund the service indefinitely [...] President Volodymyr Zelensky took to Twitter to question Mr. Musk's allegiances
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:16was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Stone, Mike; Roulette, Joey (June 1, 2023). "SpaceX's Starlink wins Pentagon contract for satellite services to Ukraine". Reuters. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:9was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
:7was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Bajak, Frank (February 9, 2023). "Musk deputy's words on Starlink 'weaponization' vex Ukraine". AP News. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
- ^ Borger, Julian (September 7, 2023). "Elon Musk ordered Starlink to be turned off during Ukraine offensive, book says". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
- ^ "Ілон Маск відреагував на погрози Рогозіна нібито через постачання Starlink українській армії". LIGA (in Ukrainian). May 9, 2022. Archived from the original on June 11, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
- ^ Farrow, Ronan (August 21, 2023). "Elon Musk's Shadow Rule". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved September 9, 2023.