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Elon Musk Answers Ukrainian Vice PM’s Plea To Switch On His Starlink Satellite Network For Internet Access
It’s believed internet access can help defeat Russian propaganda.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov recently pleaded with Elon Musk on social media. His plea came as Ukraine found itself without any internet connection due to Russia’s three days of rocket attacks. The government was concerned that locals should remain connected so their stories could be used to combat the propaganda.
Being connected online will equally help them share the atrocities carried out by the Russian troops as ordered by President Vladimir Putin.
Taking to Twitter, PM Fedorov wrote in his tweet: “@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.”
Thankfully, hours after the request, Musk answered the plea, writing in a tweet: “Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route.”
While Fedorov had also called on Facebook, Instagram, Netflix, Google, and even YouTube to help block Russia-related accounts, he couldn’t help but thank @elonmusk and everyone who supported Ukraine. He equally sent special thanks to Ukraine’s Ambassador in the United States, Oksana Makarova, for swift decisions related to authorization and certification that allowed them to activate the Starlink in Ukraine.
Pictured is Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova.
The country’s Twitter also tweeted its thanks to Elon Musk and his swift response.
A Twitter user, Lawof72, thanked @elonmusk and @SpaceX for sending Starlink receivers to Ukraine.
Fedorov had also urged: “We’ve also asked @Netflix for the support. We appealed to them to block the Russian Federation’s access to Netflix and shut off Russian content. We believe you do care. Let’s stop this disgraceful bloody war!” As of February 26, a total of 2142 Starlink satellites have been launched since the first couple in February 2018, although many of this total have failed or been decommissioned in space.
Starlink is a constellation of satellites that aims to provide internet access to most of the Earth, specifically underserved rural areas.
60 Starlink satellites had stacked together before deployment in May 2019.
Apart from air attacks and assaults from the ground, Ukraine has also been subjected to cyber-attacks.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Parliament website, and Cabinet of Ministers had all appeared offline for hours on Wednesday following a cyberattack that equally affected some of the banks in the country. This didn’t stop Russia’s attacks on the land. On Sunday morning, the Kyiv Independent reported that an oil depot had been blown up at Vasylkiv, a city sitting around 40km southwest of Kyiv.
