Immediately after the start of a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, SpaceX head Elon Musk responded to the request of the head of the Ministry of Finance Mikhail Fedorov and sent the first Starlink terminals to Ukraine. At the same time, in Ukraine, satellite Internet won, the work of which provided more than one constellation. 2,000 satellites in low Earth orbit.

Starlink terminals now help quickly repair damaged network nodes and provide both military and critical civilian infrastructure in the worst-affected areas.

For example, Vodafone, Lifecell and others have already successfully used Starlink equipment to repair damaged network elements. In particular, Vodafone emphasized that with the help of Starlink it is possible to very quickly restore destroyed and damaged components, the repair of which will require a lot of resources and even in conditions of increased danger.

Why is Starlink not available to anyone yet?

The State Special Communications Service emphasized that for the full operation of Starlink satellite Internet in Ukraine, a number of inspections are necessary. Currently, this equipment is extremely important for the operation of important infrastructure, but later it may become available to others.

Mass use of Starlink satellite Internet may partially affect the operation of the radio relay equipment of the Ukrainian army. Therefore, the use of terminals for consumers to access the network from SpaceX, excluding critical infrastructure, is currently limited,
– reported the department.

The State Special Communications Service states that this is due to the innovation of SpaceX technology and that this problem is temporary. These restrictions will then be lifted after a series of calculations and studies that will show how the operation of the terminals at the frequencies they use may affect the work of other users.

“After confirming the safety of the use of Starlink terminals, they can be allowed for mass use” – approved in the State Special Service.

• It is worth noting that former Ukrainians who purchased Starlink equipment at home before the war abroad successfully installed and tested the network after SpaceX announced the availability of Starlink in Ukraine.
• You can now order and book equipment on the official Starlink website. Availability is reportedly subject to regulatory approval and maintenance of each region is reportedly in a live queue.
• An important part of Starlink infrastructure are ground stations that connect home equipment to satellites. The closest station to Ukraine is currently located in Poland, but the Ministry of Finance has already announced its intention to promote the establishment of such a station in Ukraine.