The cost of Starlink terminals in Ukraine has roughly doubled as demand soars amid the ongoing Russian invasion. As Ukrainians seek reliable connectivity while civilian infrastructure comes under attack, satellite terminals have become essential for communication and emergency operations.
Ukrainian forces have reclaimed strategic areas such as Kherson, but fighting has intensified in other regions. In response, Russian strikes have repeatedly targeted civilian infrastructure, including the national power grid, causing widespread outages that affected up to half the country at times.
Russian defence statements have boasted of long-range, precision strikes against Ukrainian military, communications and energy installations. Observers say Moscow is attempting to use winter conditions—by disrupting electricity, heating and communications—to increase pressure on Ukraine’s government; however, the attacks have largely strengthened Ukrainian resolve and prompted stronger international support.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg accused Russia of “trying to use winter as a weapon of war,” and NATO members have pledged assistance to repair damaged critical infrastructure. Meanwhile, Ukrainians and organizations have relied on alternative power sources—car batteries, generators and stationary battery systems—to keep Starlink terminals online during outages.
Starlink terminals previously sold for about $385 in Ukraine; new customer prices are now approximately $700. Part of this increase may reflect elevated operational risk, as commercial satellites have been targeted with malware in the conflict and Russian officials have suggested that satellite use could be viewed as indirect participation in hostilities.
Monthly subscription fees for Starlink service in Ukraine have also varied. They were as high as $100 per month at one point, fell to $60 around Ukraine’s Independence Day on August 24, and are now set to increase to about $75 per month.
Right now, I don’t have electricity at my home. I also don’t have cellular. My internet provider is down.
Why?
Because Russia is shelling critical civilian infrastructure country-wide weekly.
I can write this tweet thanks to my charging station and Starlink. pic.twitter.com/Ut9V4PXlt2
— Dimko Zhluktenko 🇺🇦⚔️ (@dim0kq) November 29, 2022
At the outset of the invasion, SpaceX donated many Starlink terminals to the Ukrainian government. Additional units have arrived through other governments’ assistance and crowdfunding campaigns. It is not publicly confirmed whether SpaceX has raised prices for terminals provided to official Ukrainian recipients.
Elon Musk has said that the cost of providing Starlink services to Ukraine could approach $100 million by the end of 2022, reflecting the scale of support and operational expenses involved.
(Image Credit: Kyiv City Government under CC BY 4.0 license)
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