Ukraine says Russian military gains access to Starlink service through third countries

First modification: 02/12/2024 – 23:52

4 min

Ukrainian military intelligence (GUR) assured this Monday, February 12, that the Russian military has access to the terminals of the Starlink satellite communication system through third countries, where this technology, property of the owner of the social network X, is sold. , Elon Musk.

Starlink terminals, which Ukraine does access after the Russian invasion in February 2022, played a crucial role in battlefield communications for Ukrainian forces. Although Starlink denies any collaboration with the Russian Government or Army, the GUR claims to have recorded cases of use of these devices by the occupying forces.

He also reported that military units, such as the Russian 83rd Air Assault Brigade, used these terminals in partially occupied areas in the eastern Donetsk region. Starlink terminals are designed with a “geofencing” feature to prevent operation in unauthorized locations. However, there is speculation online that Russian forces may have found ways to circumvent these restrictions.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk responded to these accusations through a post on X on Sunday, denying the direct or indirect sale of Starlink terminals to Russia. Although Musk did not directly address the question of whether Russian forces might be using the terminals anyway, he stressed that claims of sales to Russia were “categorically false.”

Starlink, in its statement, did not explicitly mention the possible use of its terminals in occupied areas of Ukraine, but indicated that it would investigate and take action against any terminal used by a sanctioned or unauthorized party.

Ukraine's GUR claimed to have intercepted a conversation between Russian soldiers discussing the configuration of the terminals, but did not specify how Russian forces could have obtained these devices. Questions are raised about the acquisition of terminals, whether through foreign purchases or capture of devices belonging to Ukrainian forces.

Tension rises over the use of Starlink in the war in Ukraine

Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, told reporters on Monday that Starlink “is not certified – in Russia – therefore it cannot and is not officially supplied. It cannot be used in any way,” according to the Russian news agency Interfax.

“Probably, we should not get involved in the discussion between the kyiv regime and businessman Musk,” Peskov said.

Musk provided thousands of Starlink terminals to Ukraine to help repel Russian troops shortly after their full-scale invasion in February 2022, giving Kiev's forces a valuable technological advantage in the form of high-speed internet for communications, localization and battlefield management software. However, kyiv's praise for the businessman turned to fury when Musk began limiting Starlink's operation in areas of Ukraine that Russian forces have occupied since 2014, including Crimea.

This is because Ukraine wanted its forces to be able to use the system in operations in Russian-controlled areas of its territory, although Kiev has now expressed criticism that the Russians, as well as the Ukrainians, are using it in disputed areas. However, introducing or reintroducing so-called “geofencing” to stop Russia's use of Starlink on the front line could also affect Ukrainian military assets given the proximity of the positions of both sides.

Could there be intermediaries?

The apparent use of technology by Russian forces to aid their invasion is another example of their tactics adapting in response to Ukrainian innovations, as they have done with the massive use of cheap, commercially available racing drones. .

Ukrainian media reported that Russian forces may have obtained the terminals through intermediaries in Dubai.

In response, SpaceX, a technology company also owned by Musk, said in X: “Starlink also does not operate in Dubai. Starlink cannot be purchased in Dubai nor does SpaceX ship there.”

“Furthermore, Starlink has not authorized any broker, reseller or distributor of any kind to sell Starlink in Dubai.”

A biography of Musk written by Walter Isaacson detailed how the tycoon refused to allow Starlink to be used by Ukrainian forces for a naval drone attack on Russian ships in Sevastopol. Musk said he feared this could provoke a nuclear response from Moscow.

With Reuters and EFE