Editing Telecommunications in Ukraine (section)

== History ==

=== Russian Invasion of Ukraine ===
{{Main|Starlink satellite services in Ukraine}}
Ukraine's military and government rapidly became dependent on [[SpaceX]]'s [[Starlink satellite services in Ukraine|Starlink satellite services]] during [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|Russian's invasion of Ukraine in 2022]], as Russia attacked key infrastructures including telecommunication ones, and Ukraine was experiencing significant problems with Internet access.<ref name=":1">{{cite web |date=26 February 2022 |title=@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 |url=https://twitter.com/fedorovmykhailo/status/1497543633293266944 |work=[[Twitter]] |access-date=6 June 2023 |archive-date=14 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221014055314/https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497543633293266944 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Sabbagh |first=Dan |date=2023-02-09 |title=Fury in Ukraine as Elon Musk's SpaceX limits Starlink use for drones |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/09/zelenskiy-aide-takes-aim-at-curbs-on-ukraine-use-of-starlink-to-pilot-drones-elon-musk |access-date=2023-05-20 |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=2023-03-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230309133527/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/09/zelenskiy-aide-takes-aim-at-curbs-on-ukraine-use-of-starlink-to-pilot-drones-elon-musk |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":112">{{Cite news |title=How Elon Musk's satellites have saved Ukraine and changed warfare |newspaper=The Economist |url=https://www.economist.com/briefing/2023/01/05/how-elon-musks-satellites-have-saved-ukraine-and-changed-warfare |access-date=2023-06-06 |issn=0013-0613 |archive-date=2023-09-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230923091659/https://www.economist.com/briefing/2023/01/05/how-elon-musks-satellites-have-saved-ukraine-and-changed-warfare |url-status=live }}</ref>

Satellite internet from SpaceX had key telecommunications role such as in the [[Siege of Azovstal]] (April 15–May 20), which helped Ukrainian defenders to resist Russian troops in Mariupol.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Landry |first=Carole |date=2022-07-25 |title=Inside the Azovstal Siege |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/25/briefing/russia-ukraine-war-azovstal.html |access-date=2022-10-15 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=2022-10-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221015213203/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/25/briefing/russia-ukraine-war-azovstal.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

While military and government use of Starlink has been the most important aspect of opening Ukraine to low-altitude satellite internet services in early 2022, civilians are also heavily using the technology "to keep in touch with the outside world and tell loved ones that they are alive." During the war, Ukrainians can use Starlink terminals without paying the usual monthly subscription fee.<ref name="kyInd20220903">{{cite news |last=Antoniuk |first=Daryna |date=3 September 2022 |title=How Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet keeps Ukraine online |work=[[Kyiv Independent]] |url=https://kyivindependent.com/tech/how-elon-musks-starlink-satellite-internet-keeps-ukraine-online |access-date=4 September 2022 |archive-date=20 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230320080834/https://kyivindependent.com/tech/how-elon-musks-starlink-satellite-internet-keeps-ukraine-online |url-status=live }}</ref>

To pay for the cost of Starlink in Ukraine, SpaceX donated for an estimate of over $100 million,<ref name=":6">{{cite web |last1=Bajak |first1=Frank |date=9 February 2023 |title=Musk deputy's words on Starlink 'weaponization' vex Ukraine |url=https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-elon-musk-spacex-technology-business-c79c81ff4e6a09f4a185e627dad858fa |access-date=28 April 2023 |website=[[The Associated Press]] |archive-date=28 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230428021116/https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-elon-musk-spacex-technology-business-c79c81ff4e6a09f4a185e627dad858fa |url-status=live }}</ref> while an unknown amount was secured by several European countries and the US government.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Brodkin |first1=Jon |date=2022-12-20 |title=Ukraine to get 10,000 more Starlink antennas; funding problems are "resolved" |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/12/starlink-will-send-another-10000-satellite-terminals-to-ukraine/ |access-date=19 May 2023 |website=Ars Technica |archive-date=2023-05-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519175246/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/12/starlink-will-send-another-10000-satellite-terminals-to-ukraine/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":102"/> In June 2023, [[The Pentagon]] communicated that the [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]] signed a contract with SpaceX's Starlink to buy those satellite services for Ukraine.<ref name=":102"/>

The use of Starlink in [[Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine|Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine]] was however restricted by SpaceX, according to Ukrainian officials.<ref name=":112"/>