Ukraine's main military intelligence agency has asserted that Russian forces in occupied Ukraine are utilizing Starlink terminals from Elon Musk's SpaceX for satellite internet, raising concerns about a potential "systemic" issue. These terminals were initially deployed to assist Ukraine after Russia's invasion in February 2022 and have played a crucial role in Kyiv's battlefield communications. Starlink, however, denies conducting any business with Russia's government or military.
According to Andriy Yusov, spokesperson for Ukrainian defence intelligence (GUR), instances of Russian occupiers using Starlink devices have been recorded and are showing signs of becoming a widespread problem. The GUR revealed that these terminals were being employed by units such as Russia's 83rd air assault brigade, engaged in conflict near Klishchiivka and Andriivka in the partially occupied eastern region of Donetsk.
Starlink terminals are designed to be "geofenced," preventing them from functioning in unauthorized locations. However, there are online discussions speculating that Russian forces might be able to bypass the geofence, presenting a terminal in a restricted area as if it is in an authorized location. It has also been suggested that Russian soldiers may use terminals acquired in areas of Ukraine initially cleared for Starlink to assist Ukrainians but later subjected to Russian attack or occupation.
Elon Musk, in a Sunday post on X, stated, "To the best of our knowledge, no Starlinks have been sold directly or indirectly to Russia ... A number of false news reports claim that SpaceX is selling Starlink terminals to Russia. This is categorically false." However, Musk did not address whether Russian soldiers might be obtaining and using Starlink terminals independently.
Starlink's statement also did not provide information on the possible use of terminals in occupied Ukrainian areas. The company mentioned that if they discover a Starlink terminal being used by a sanctioned or unauthorized party, they investigate the claim and take actions to deactivate the terminal if confirmed. Notably, neither Musk nor Starlink detailed proactive measures to prevent Russian forces from obtaining terminals or connecting to Starlink, nor did they confirm whether specific Ukrainian claims were under investigation.
Ukraine's GUR agency claimed to have intercepted an exchange between two soldiers discussing the setup of these terminals. However, the agency did not specify how it believed the terminals had been acquired by Russian forces, leaving the question of procurement from abroad or capture from Ukrainian forces unanswered.