Ailan Evans, DCNF

Elon Musk’s SpaceX delivered terminals for Starlink satellite internet to Ukraine in order to help its citizens stay online during Russia’s invasion of the country, a Ukrainian official confirmed Monday.

“Starlink — here. Thanks, @elonmusk,” Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s minister of digital transformation, tweeted Monday along with a photo that appeared to show a truck loaded with Starlink internet terminals.

Musk replied to Fedorov’s tweet, telling the Ukrainian politician that he was “most welcome.”

Musk had previously promised to deliver more internet terminals to Ukraine after announcing Starlink service was active in Ukraine, following a plea from Fedorov to help Ukrainians retain internet access.

Starlink is a satellite-based internet system that does not rely on traditional, terrestrial-based internet infrastructure like fiber optic cables and towers, allowing it to be accessed by citizens without fear of being cut off due to damaged equipment.

The delivery comes as Russia has looked to target Ukraine’s access to the internet as part of its assault on the country. Microsoft thwarted an attack on Ukrainian internet infrastructure preceding Russia’s invasion, while other U.S. tech companies have cracked down on hackers using their platforms to locate and attack targets.

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