Musk Activates Starlink Internet Service in Ukraine

A SpaceX Starlink satellite is seen passing in the night sky in Denmark in April 2020 Mads Claus Rasmussen Ritzau Scanpix/AFP/File
A SpaceX Starlink satellite is seen passing in the night sky in Denmark in April 2020 Mads Claus Rasmussen Ritzau Scanpix/AFP/File
TT
20

Musk Activates Starlink Internet Service in Ukraine

A SpaceX Starlink satellite is seen passing in the night sky in Denmark in April 2020 Mads Claus Rasmussen Ritzau Scanpix/AFP/File
A SpaceX Starlink satellite is seen passing in the night sky in Denmark in April 2020 Mads Claus Rasmussen Ritzau Scanpix/AFP/File

Elon Musk said Saturday his company SpaceX's Starlink satellite broadband service had been activated in Ukraine, after a Kyiv official urged the tech titan to provide his embattled country with stations.

"Starlink service is now active in Ukraine," Musk tweeted, adding "more terminals en route."

The tweet came some 10 hours after Ukrainian Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov urged Musk to provide Starlink services to Ukraine, days after it was invaded by neighboring Russia.

"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," Fedorov tweeted at Musk, AFP reported.

He also called on the billionaire "to address sane Russians to stand" against their government's invasion.

Internet monitor NetBlocks said Ukraine has seen a "series of significant disruptions to internet service" since Thursday, when Russia launched military operations in the country.

Starlink operates a constellation of more than 2,000 satellites that aim to provide internet access across the planet.

The company on Friday launched a further 50 Starlink satellites and many more are slated to be put into Earth's orbit.



Aroya Cruises Launches First Voyage in the Mediterranean

The ship features world-class facilities and services. SPA
The ship features world-class facilities and services. SPA
TT
20

Aroya Cruises Launches First Voyage in the Mediterranean

The ship features world-class facilities and services. SPA
The ship features world-class facilities and services. SPA

Aroya Cruises, a subsidiary of Cruise Saudi and fully owned by the Public Investment Fund, has announced the launch of its inaugural Mediterranean voyage on June 28, offering guests a fully integrated tourism experience inspired by authentic Arab hospitality, across some of the world’s most prominent cruise destinations.

The AROYA, the cruise line’s flagship vessel, set sail from its Mediterranean homeport at Galataport in Istanbul on a seven-night journey visiting key destinations including Athens, Souda Bay, and Mykonos in Greece, followed by Bodrum in Türkiye, before returning to Istanbul on July 5.

Building on the success of its inaugural Red Sea season, Aroya Cruises will continue operating Mediterranean voyages through mid-September 2025, offering diverse itineraries ranging from six to seven nights. Destinations include Marmaris, Rhodes, Alexandria, and several other prominent coastal cities in Türkiye, Greece, and Egypt.

The ship features world-class facilities and services, including a main pool area, a theater with daily entertainment, and a wellness center offering therapeutic treatments, spa services, a beauty clinic, and a fitness club.

Guests can also enjoy a wide range of activities tailored for all family members, such as an adventure zone, sports complex, water park, and one of the largest kids’ areas aboard any cruise ship. Culinary offerings include 12 restaurants and 17 cafés, serving a curated mix of Saudi and international cuisines.

President of Aroya Cruises Dr. Joerg Rudolph expressed pride in the company’s first Mediterranean voyage, noting that this milestone comes just six months after the launch of its cruise operations.

He emphasized that the cruise line’s expansion into top European destinations aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals to support tourism sector growth.