Engineering:Starlink satellite services in Ukraine

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Short description: Co-operation between Ukraine and Starlink

Starlink satellite services in Ukraine refers to the SpaceX's Starlink internet access service being provided to Ukraine's market. This service was most notably used during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, as Russian attacks brought widespread degradation of the telecommunications network. During the battle of Mariupol (2022), Starlink was used to report on the worsening conditions inside the city.[1][2]

As of 5 April 2022, SpaceX and USAID had delivered 5,000 terminals to Ukraine, of which SpaceX had donated 3,667 or 73%, and the rest had been purchased by USAID.[3]

Negotiations

SpaceX had been negotiating with Ukraine for the launch of Starlink a month and a half before the invasion, SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell said. According to her, SpaceX was waiting for an official letter with permission.[4]

At the beginning of the surprise Russian's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and as Russia attacked key infrastructures including telecommunication ones, Ukraine experienced significant problems with Internet access. Maintaining internet access was seen as a priority by Ukraine's military and other government bodies.[5]

Services

Early services

File:Rocket strike on Kyiv TV Tower, 1 March 2022.webm

On February 26, 2022 during the battle for Kyiv, Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov asked Elon Musk on Twitter to provide assistance to Ukraine in the form of Starlinks.[5][4] Starlink responded by activating country-wide service, and the first shipment of terminals arrived on February 28.[6][7][8][9][10]

Vitali Klitschko, Mayor of Kyiv, and his brother Wladimir Klitschko with Starlink terminals

Satellite internet from SpaceX had key telecommunications role in the Siege of Azovstal (April 15–May 20), where Ukrainian defenders resisted Russian troops in Mariupol.[1] On March 21, two helicopters of "Operation Air Corridor" (March 21–April 7) carried Ukrainian Special Forces fighters, weaponry and the first Starlink terminal behind enemies lines to besieged Mariupol.[1][2]

In early May, Russian head of Roscosmos and politician Dmitry Rogozin said Elon Musk will be accountable "as an adult" because of his providing the Armed Forces of Ukraine with Starlink satellites.[11]

Starlink internet also started being used on the trains of Ukrainian Railways, during the restoration of communication in the Kyiv Oblast providing mobile communication services.[12]

Growth

The Times reported in March 2022, that Ukrainian military were using Starlink to connect its drones attacking Russian forces.[13]

In an interview to The Washington Post , Mykhailo Fedorov said that European countries have sent Starlink terminals to Ukraine from their own supplies.[14]

Over time, the number of Starlink satellite terminals donated by SpaceX began to grow. Ukrainian government bodies also started fundraising money to purchase more terminals. In June 2022, Ukraine received a new batch for Ukrainian intelligence units.[15]

On October 7, a report by the Financial Times quoted several Ukrainian officials criticising Starlink, speaking of "widespread connection failures" and "catastrophic" losses of communication.[16]

October 2022 controversy

On October 14, 2022, following Musk's controversial takes on the war, path to peace, and president Volodymyr Zelenskyy's questioning of Musk's allegiances, Musk warned the service was costing Starlink $20 million per month and stated it could not go on indefinitely.[17][18][19] Documents and customers billings show that both private and governmental agencies, mostly from US, Poland and the United Kingdom, are contributing for Starlink services in addition to SpaceX's donations.[19] Musk re-committed on October 15 that SpaceX would continue to pay for Starlink services.[19]

February 2023 controversy

On February 8, 2023 Gwynne Shotwell, President of Starlink, announced that the company had taken measures to prevent the use of Starlink service to control combat drones, saying the company did not intend that the service be "weaponized".[20][21]

See also

  • List of foreign aid to Ukraine during the Russo-Ukrainian War
  • Corporate responses to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
  • United24

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Landry, Carole (2022-07-25). "Inside the Azovstal Siege" (in en-US). The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/25/briefing/russia-ukraine-war-azovstal.html. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Schwirtz, Michael (2022-07-24). "Last Stand at Azovstal: Inside the Siege That Shaped the Ukraine War" (in en-US). The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/24/world/europe/ukraine-war-mariupol-azovstal.html. 
  3. ↑ "USAID SAFEGUARDS INTERNET ACCESS IN UKRAINE THROUGH PUBLIC-PRIVATE-PARTNERSHIP WITH SPACEX" (in en). US Government. 5 April 2022. https://www.usaid.gov/news-information/press-releases/apr-5-2022-usaid-safeguards-internet-access-ukraine-through-public-private. "SpaceX donated 3,667 terminals and the internet service itself, and USAID purchased the additional 1,333 terminals" 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Starlink в Україні: кому доступний інтернет від SpaceX та як ним користуватися". 2022-04-29. https://www.the-village.com.ua/village/city/how-it-works-city/325497-gid-po-starlink. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "@elonmusk while you try to colonize Mars — Russia try to occupy Ukraine! 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". Twitter. 26 February 2022. https://twitter.com/fedorovmykhailo/status/1497543633293266944. 
  6. ↑ "Elon Musk's Starlink arrives in Ukraine but what next?" (in en-GB). BBC News. 2022-03-01. https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-60561162. 
  7. ↑ Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Ukraine is using Elon Musk's Starlink for drone strikes | DW | 27.03.2022" (in en-GB). https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-is-using-elon-musks-starlink-for-drone-strikes/a-61270528. 
  8. ↑ "Перша партія StarLink прибула в Україну (фото)". https://lb.ua/society/2022/02/28/507419_persha_partiya_starlink_pribula.html. 
  9. ↑ "Starlink Маска прибув в Україну. Хто і як може користуватись інтернетом" (in uk). BBC News Україна. https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/news-60583913. 
  10. ↑ "В Україні запрацював супутниковий інтернет від Ілона Маска – Starlink. Яка швидкість та чи становить це небезпеку — Forbes.ua" (in uk). 2022-03-02. https://forbes.ua/inside/v-ukraini-zapratsyuvav-suputnikoviy-internet-vid-ilona-maska-starlink-yaka-shvidkist-ta-chi-stanovit-tse-nebezpeku-02032022-4054. 
  11. ↑ "Ілон Маск відреагував на погрози Рогозіна нібито через постачання Starlink українській армії" (in uk). 2022-05-09. https://tech.liga.net/ua/other/novosti/ilon-mask-otreagiroval-na-ugrozy-rogozina-yakoby-iz-za-postavok-starlink-ukrainskoy-armii. 
  12. ↑ "Втратити вежі й мільярди, отримати Starlink: як мобільні оператори повертають зв'язок" (in uk). 2022-05-16. https://biz.liga.net/ua/ekonomika/telekom/interview/poteryat-bashni-i-milliardy-poluchit-starlink-kak-mobilnye-operatory-vozvraschayut-svyaz. 
  13. ↑ Parker, Charlie. "Specialist Ukrainian drone unit picks off invading Russian forces as they sleep" (in en). The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/specialist-drone-unit-picks-off-invading-forces-as-they-sleep-zlx3dj7bb. 
  14. ↑ "Elon Musk's Starlink is keeping Ukrainians online when traditional Internet fails" (in en-US). Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/03/19/elon-musk-ukraine-starlink/. 
  15. ↑ Zaxid.net. "Ілон Маск передав партію Starlink для українських розвідників" (in uk). https://zaxid.net/ilon_mask_peredav_partiyu_starlink_dlya_ukrayinskih_rozvidnikiv_n1544391. 
  16. ↑ "Ukrainian forces report Starlink outages during push against Russia" (in uk). 2022-10-07. https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcontent%2F9a7b922b-2435-4ac7-acdb-0ec9a6dc8397. 
  17. ↑ Matthew Luxmoore (14 October 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" (in en). The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/elon-musk-says-spacex-cant-fund-ukraine-starlink-service-indefinitely-11665758917?mod=Searchresults_pos2&page=1. "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" 
  18. ↑ Metz, Cade; Vinograd, Cassandra; Cooper, Helene (2022-10-14). "Elon Musk says SpaceX can't fund internet service in Ukraine 'indefinitely,' stirring controversy." (in en-US). The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/10/14/world/russia-ukraine-war-news#elon-musk-starlink-internet-ukraine. 
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Metz, Cade (2022-10-15). "Elon Musk Drops Threat to Halt Internet Service in Ukraine" (in en-US). The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/10/15/world/russia-ukraine-war-news. 
  20. ↑ Roulette, Joey (2023-02-09). "SpaceX curbed Ukraine's use of Starlink internet for drones -company president" (in en). Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/spacex-curbed-ukraines-use-starlink-internet-drones-company-president-2023-02-09/. 
  21. ↑ Staff, A. O. L.. "SpaceX limits Starlink use in Ukraine, company president says" (in en-US). https://www.aol.com/news/spacex-limits-starlink-ukraine-company-122954605.html. 



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