Elon Musk's Starlink app, which allows people access to a satellite-based internet service, has become the most-downloaded app in Ukraine, no doubt much to Vladamir Putin 's dismay.
The SpaceX CEO, 50, gave Ukraine access to the satellite-internet system Starlink, comprised of some 2,000 satellites designed to bring web access to under-served areas of the world.
It allows residents to bypass any internet outages, reports of which been rising across Ukraine since Russia invaded three weeks ago.
Figures show that Elon's Starlink app has been downloaded almost 100,000 times in Ukraine, with global downloads more than tripling in the last couple of weeks.
The billionaire has challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin to “single combat”, with the “stakes” being Ukraine, the Daily Star reports.
With Mr Putin’s name written in Russian and Ukraine written in Ukrainian, the Tesla chief executive tweeted: “I hereby challenge (Vladimir Putin) to single combat.
“Stakes are (Ukraine).”
Mr Musk tagged the Kremlin in a follow-up tweet.
“Do you agree to this fight?” he asked in Russian.
Mr Musk’s challenge to Mr Putin is one of several posts he has shared on the war in Ukraine.
He also tweeted today: "If he is afraid to fight, I will agree to use only my left hand and I am not even left-handed."
He added: “And also my sympathies to the great people of Russia, who do not want this.”
Mr Zelensky thanked Mr Musk for the support, including for delivering Starlink technology, tweeting: “I’m grateful to him for supporting Ukraine with words and deeds.”
Sensor Tower, an organisation providing data on the App Store and Google Play, said Starlink was downloaded more than 21,000 times globally on Sunday.
The organisation said that this broke the record for most global installs in a single day, with most of the downloads coming from Ukraine.
The network is made up of a constellation of connected satellites which in theory can provide high-speed internet to large areas of the world.
However, earlier this month Musk warned there was a high chance Starlink could be 'targeted' by Russia.
Elon tweeted: "Important warning: Starlink is the only non-Russian communications system still working in some parts of Ukraine, so the probability of being targeted is high."
One of Ukraine's largest internet providers has been reportedly hacked several times during this period.
Experts raise that they believe Russian state-sponsored hackers may be to blame.
Internet outages may have also been caused to collateral damage to infrastructure by Russian forces in Ukraine.
