The US Department of Defense succeeds in blocking the Russian military's use of 'Starlink'
The US Department of Defense has revealed that it has blocked Russian forces from using the satellite internet service 'Starlink' in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Russia Starlink Access Is Being Blocked by SpaceX, Pentagon, Ukraine - Bloomberg
'Starlink' is a satellite internet service that uses more than 4,000 artificial satellites to make the internet available in places where the internet environment is insufficient. In theory, it can be used anywhere in the world, but in reality, there are many countries where the service is not operated.
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Starlink was not available in Ukraine, but there was a risk that the communications infrastructure would be in danger, so Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, which operates Starlink, immediately decided to start providing the service.
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Meanwhile, the service is not available in Russia, but there have been several reports of people purchasing terminals through dealers since 2024. Starlink stated that it 'does not do business with the Russian government or military,' but did not clarify the possibility of 'misuse' by Russia.
Russian military reportedly using SpaceX's satellite internet 'Starlink' on the front lines of the war with Ukraine - GIGAZINE
However, it appears that some countermeasures were in place, and in May 2024, John Plumb, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy, stated that 'we have successfully countered Russia's use of Starlink,' revealing that they have prevented unauthorized use.
Plumb declined to elaborate on whether the Russians had tactics to disable the antennas or whether they used other technology to thwart the attack.
'We have worked closely with the government of Ukraine and SpaceX to counter Russian misuse of Starlink,' Plumb said. 'We can be sure that Russia will continue to seek ways to exploit Starlink and other commercial communications systems.'
SpaceX is providing Ukraine with at least 10,000 antennas.
After Elon Musk threatened to shut down the service if they didn't provide funding, the Department of Defense signed a contract with SpaceX worth $23 million a year, according to Space Force spokesman Omar Villarreal.
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