SpaceX’s Starlink has been essential since the beginning between the Russia and Ukraine war. This satellite Internet guarantees that Ukrainians do not lose communication with the outside world. According to a report from The New York Times, Russian troops have figured out how to effectively disable this service. This could be a further threat to the situation in the Eastern European country.
“The first victim of war is the truth.” This phrase, attributed to the Ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus, has survived to this day. One of the reasons why this happens is that it is very difficult for journalists to do their work in a war environment and for the inhabitants to be able to communicate what is happening beyond their borders.
The Internet is a good tool to record and photograph the streets and report the situation. Thanks to this, we are currently better informed about conflicts than in the past. However, it is very easy to lose connection due to constant bombing or for many other reasons. For that reason, Starlink has been crucial in Ukrainian territory since the Russian invasion began.
SpaceX deployed its satellite Internet since the war between both countries began. At first, it was done selflessly, but later, Elon Musk requested funding from the US Government. Either way, Starlink is an essential service for Ukrainians to stay in touch. Now, this advantage they had is being threatened because Russia has managed to discover how to end it, according to reports from The New York Times.
Russia deactivates Starlink terminals in Ukraine
The interruption of the Starlink Internet represents “a great threat to Ukraine”, as pointed out in the prestigious American media. It seems that Russia has managed to ‘disarm’ its adversary in this way recently and SpaceX will have to find a solution to ensure that Ukrainians continue to be able to communicate abroad.
Last Friday, May 24, there was an increase in interference within the territory of Ukraine. As they explained in the article, these had caused residents in the affected areas to lose communication with the outside world at critical moments. This not only affects the news we receive about the war situation, but also its ability to collect intelligence, send or receive text messages on the front line of battle, or carry out drone attacks, for example.
The blockade of Starlink hinders countless processes necessary during the war in Ukraine. From what they comment in the newspaper publication, the interference stood out on the northern front, where Russia has a noticeable advance. If Vladimir Putin’s side continues to disrupt the satellite connection, The New York Times believes there could be a “tactical shift in the conflict.” Especially since Ukrainian troops depend on SpaceX technology.
Russia has tried to disconnect Ukraine on more occasions
This is not the first time the Russians have attempted to disrupt Ukraine’s communications during the war. Since Starlink was deployed to help the Eastern European country, there have been several occasions in which Russia has attempted to limit its services in the territory. However, so far, they had not had much success and SpaceX had held up well. This has changed in the last week.
Mykhailo Federov, Ukraine’s digital minister, told The New York Times that the enemy was using “new and more advanced technology.” With it, they were able to interfere with the satellite connection, which is very important for defense against the Russian invasion. In the politician’s words, they were “different mechanisms” capable of “altering the quality of Starlink connections.”
Although the Ukrainian minister has not specified whether they know the specific tactics they are using, a Russian official already told state media a month ago that they had developed strategies to interrupt the service. Now, SpaceX will have to work on solving it, although it could involve Musk asking the US Pentagon for more financial help again.
