Elon Musk's response on Starlink internet terminals landing in Ukraine amid Russian invasion
PremiumThe Ukrainian vice PM had earlier last week urged Musk to provide Starlink services to his country days after the invasion began
A shipment of internet terminals of Starlink satellite internet service has arrived in Ukraine days after Elon Musk said that it has been activated in the war-torn nation.
Following this, Ukraine's vice prime minister Mykhailo Fedorov took to Twitter to thank SpaceX's billionaire chief executive officer. "Starlink — here. Thanks, @elonmusk," he wrote with a picture of a truck loaded with Starlink terminals.
"You are most welcome," Musk tweeted in response.
Fedorov had earlier last week urged Musk to provide Starlink services to Ukraine days after the invasion began, tweeting "While you try to colonize Mars -- Russia try to occupy Ukraine! While your rockets successfully land from space -- Russian rockets attack Ukrainian civil people."
Musk had then tweeted, "Starlink service is now active in Ukraine," adding that more terminals are en route.
The terminals could help provide internet in areas where access has been hit due to the assault unleashed by President Vladimir Putin on Russia's neighbour a week ago.
This comes as reports earlier informed of Internet connectivity in Ukraine being affected by the Russian invasion, particularly in the southern and eastern parts of the country where fighting has been heaviest.
Connectivity to GigaTrans, Ukraine's main internet provider, dropped to below 20% of normal levels before returning to higher levels in the early hours of Friday morning, according to internet monitoring organisation NetBlocks.
"We currently observe national connectivity at 87% of ordinary levels, a figure that reflects service disruptions as well as population flight and the shuttering of homes and businesses since the morning of the 24th," Alp Toker, director of NetBlocks, was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters.
"While there is no nation-scale blackout, little is being heard from the worst affected regions, and for others there's an ever-present fear that connectivity could worsen at any moment, cutting off friends and family," Toker said.
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