The Department of Defense has contracted Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service, a product of SpaceX, to assist with the ongoing defense efforts in Ukraine. “We continue to work with a range of global partners to ensure Ukraine has the resilient satellite and communication capabilities they need. Satellite communications constitute a vital layer in Ukraine's overall communications network and the department contracts with Starlink for services of this type,” the Pentagon said in a statement Thursday. Ukrainian troops have already been using Starlink’s internet service, which operates using an expanding network of more than 4,000 satellites in low orbit, since the beginning of the war. During that time, Russia has made several attempts to block Starlink in the region as part of a broader effort to hinder Ukrainian communications.