The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided the government of Ukraine with 5,000 Starlink satellite Internet terminals in partnership with SpaceX. This is reported by the USAID press service.
After Putin’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on February 24, USAID is working closely with humanitarian partners in Ukraine and in the region. The agency purchased 1,333 terminals, and SpaceX donated 3,667 terminals and provided free Internet service. Starlink’s terminals help users connect to the Internet via the company’s satellites without the need for a cable connection.
Satellite technology can provide Internet access for people living in rural areas or in regions where there is no access to fiber optic cables and cell towers. The terminals will allow Ukrainian officials and critically important service providers to continue to keep in touch with the outside world.
Moreover, the connection will be stable even if Putin’s aggression interrupts the infrastructure of fiber-optic or cellular communications in Ukraine. The US military was already pleasantly surprised by how well Starlink performed in the conditions of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Despite numerous attempts by the aggressors to jam the transmitters, they provided a stable connection.
The US military will continue to increase integration with commercial companies. The events in Ukraine have shown that 5,000 Starlink satellites really have meaning in war conditions. Neither jamming their signal nor damaging the network with anti-satellite weapons will work.
