© REUTERS
Local residents in Chasov Yar, Donetsk Oblast, use a Starlink terminal amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine. 31 January 2023
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Russian forces are obtaining Starlink satellite terminals illegally from third countries and increasing their use on the front lines, the spokesman for the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine told Reuters on Monday. In the statement of Anriy Yusov, the origin of the information is not indicated.
On February 8, Newsweek reported that according to Ukrainian journalist Andriy Tsaplienko, the Russian military began using Starlink with licensed accounts in Ukraine, and Ukrainian soldiers published in X claims that the terminals were being shipped through Dubai.
Andriy Yusov today explained that the delivery of high-speed satellite internet terminals manufactured by Elon Musk’s SpaceX to enemy forces with which they might coordinate their attacks in occupied parts of Ukraine was carried out through “third-party smuggling” and that it was being worked on preventing their use.
The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine confirmed on Sunday the use of “Starlink” by the Russian occupiers on the front and as evidence released a recording of an intercepted conversation of Russian soldiers in the Donetsk region.
Earlier today, the Kremlin said the terminals were neither certified for use in Russia nor officially delivered to Russia, and therefore might not be used.
A number of false news reports claim that SpaceX is selling Starlink terminals to Russia.
This is categorically false.
To the best of our knowledge, no Starlinks have been sold directly or indirectly to Russia.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 11, 2024
Back on February 8, SpaceX stated that its terminals are not active in Russia and that SpaceX has never sold or planned to launch service in Russia, nor has it delivered equipment to locations in Russia. The owner of “Starlink” and SpaceX, Elon Musk, rejected as false the claims “that the company is selling terminals to Russia” and called the publications to this effect “fake news”.
The Starlink terminals, providing high-speed internet connectivity, were rushed to Ukraine following Russia invaded in February 2022 and were vital to Kiev’s battlefield communications.
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