Elon Musk delivering a presentation on starlink last yearImage source, Getty Images

The deputy prime minister of Ukraine thanked Musk, who runs the firm, after a load of Starlink dishes arrived in the country.

It is not clear where they are going, but it is likely that they will be used by the government.

As the conflict gets worse, internet access in Ukraine is expected to get worse.

Businesses are trying to get their hands on back-up systems.

Mykhailo Fedorov, the deputy prime minister of Ukraine, asked for help from Mr Musk.

There are more than 2,000 Starlink satellites in the sky, and if you plug in the dish, it will connect to them automatically.

The internet is supplied by the nearest ground station.

The gateways are located around the world, but they cannot be too far away from a place that is getting an internet connection. Poland has a gateway for Ukraine.

The internet connection goes from the gateway to the satellite. The tech takes care of the rest when users plug in their routers into their terminal.

Starlink's constellation of satellites operate in low-Earth orbit, so the delay is measured in milliseconds rather than seconds.

This would usually cost. It will cost you 499 in the UK for the dish and then a subscription of 89 per month. Ukrainians will not be charged for the service.

The terminals need a clear view of the sky in order to work, and there is an app to help users find a suitable spot to place them.

Users will have to consider safety and how they may appear to Russian forces when using overhanging trees and other obstructions in Ukranian.

One user who already had access to a terminal said on Monday that he had reached speeds in excess of 200 Mbps for a while.

Business people are trying to get more terminals, but are finding it hard.

We are trying to buy receivers but I am not sure if we will succeed.

The internet is working well in most Ukrainian cities, but it will be important for businesses to have a contingency plan in case the networks fail.

NetBlocks, which is monitoring internet speeds in Ukranian, told the BBC that it has seen internet collapse in some areas.

Friends and family report no contact with loved ones in the last few hours. The firm says it is seeing internet speeds around 80% of normal recorded levels.

Alp Toker of NetBlocks cautioned against seeing Starlink as a substitute for phone networks and broadband, as it can provide a personal hotspot for people who are in the vicinity of the device. This is useful for journalists and resistance groups.

Mr Toker said that the devices would be most useful if there was a power failure in Kyiv.

Even if only a few people are chosen to receive these devices, it is better than not having any information at all.

Satellite internet could be used by Russian forces during a conflict, suggesting that the dishes could be targeted.

John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at The Citizen Lab, said that Mr Musk's offer of assistance was good to see, but warned users to be careful.