KYIV: Ukraine said Sunday Russian forces were using terminals of Elon Musk’s satellite internet service Starlink in occupied areas, releasing what it said was an intercept of an exchange between two Russian soldiers as proof of its “systemic” use.
Starlink systems have been vital for Ukraine’s battlefield communications throughout Russia’s nearly two-year-old invasion.
The defence ministry’s main directorate of intelligence posted an audio clip on Telegram which it said featured troops from Russia’s 83rd Air Assault Brigade discussing setting up the terminals in eastern Ukraine. The directorate gave no details about the alleged scale of use, or how the terminals were obtained. Russia did not comment.
SpaceX, which runs Starlink terminals, said on X last week that it “does not do business of any kind with the Russian govt or its military”, and that its service does not work in Russia.