Elon Musk’s SpaceX curbs illicit use of satellite internet network, which Ukraine says is already affecting operations
Russia’s military is scrambling to find alternatives to Starlink satellite internet after access to the network was curtailed, disrupting a key communications system that its forces had been using illicitly on the battlefield.
Ukraine said last week that Starlink terminals being used by Russian troops had been deactivated after talks between its defence minister and Elon Musk, whose company SpaceX operates the satellite network.
Ukrainian officials said the move had already begun to affect Russian operations, including the use of drones.
Moscow had come to rely on thousands of contraband Starlink terminals smuggled into Russia, often through central Asia, to keep units connected along the frontline. The system allowed Russian forces to coordinate movements and drone strikes in areas where military radios were unreliable or easily jammed.
