Following statements from Donald Trump and his team about suspending USAID\u2019s operations for 90 days due to audits, reports emerged suggesting that Ukraine might face issues with Starlink terminals. It was alleged that USAID was funding the operation of a large portion of these terminals in Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Representatives from USAID and the Ukrainian government have declined to comment on the matter due to its sensitivity. However, sources within Scroll.media have learned that the cessation of USAID\u2019s operations will not affect the majority of Starlink terminals in Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The situation is that at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, USAID did indeed partner<\/a> with SpaceX to deliver 5,000 Starlink terminals to Ukraine. Of these, SpaceX donated 3,667 terminals, while 1,333 were purchased by the agency at its own expense and handed over to Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In total, Ukrainian partners have brought around 50,000 Starlink terminals into the country. The rest were delivered by volunteers, businesses, and the military, who funded the terminals themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For over 42,000 terminals, two countries \u2014 Poland and Germany \u2014 are footing the bill. The Polish government recently announced that it is paying for the operation of 20,000 terminals<\/a> in Ukraine on a commercial basis and has signed contracts with SpaceX. While the German government has not officially commented on its contracts with SpaceX, their involvement was acknowledged by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a press conference in February.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thus, the terminals provided by USAID make up only about 2% of the total. Not all of them are still operational, as some have been damaged or are no longer functioning. The remaining terminals have contracts paid for through the end of 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In conclusion, USAID\u2019s suspension in Ukraine will not impact the operation of Starlink terminals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Elon Musk has also confirmed that SpaceX will continue to provide satellite connectivity to Ukraine, stating that any discussions about shutting it down are merely speculation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n