Starlink being used by Russian Military against Ukraine ?

[Polds4OSU]

Wild story coming out. Ukraine journalist quoting Ukraine soldiers who claim they have seen shipments out of UAE of Elon Musk's/SpaceX Starlink devices to Russian battlefield areas in the Russian Annexed Ukrainian territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. and they are being used by Russians to direct military operations in occupied Ukraine with authorized Starlink accounts.



This poses a SERIOUS question to the US Pentagon because of

In June 2023, Starlink obtained a Department of Defense contract to buy those satellite services for Ukraine. Musk's company has so far privately funded a network of nearly 4,000 satellites to be launched into low-Earth orbit. Kyiv's troops use it for battlefield communications in the war with Russia.

But, in September 2023, Musk admitted that he previously prevented a Ukrainian attack on a Russian Navy base by declining Kyiv's request to activate internet access in the Black Sea to avoid complicity in a "major act of war."

"There was an emergency request from government authorities to activate Starlink all the way to Sevastopol," he wrote on X in early September 2023. "The obvious intent being to sink most of the Russian fleet at anchor. If I had agreed to their request, then SpaceX would be explicitly complicit in a major act of war and conflict escalation."

The US government is yet to comment on the reports. However, a Pentagon spokesman told Newsweek via email: "While we are aware of the reporting, we have no statement to provide.

"I'd refer you to our Ukrainian partners for any current operational information regarding satellite communications activities of this kind."

Space X response to the Report is Highly Troubling as well
Space X responded today saying that they do not ship any of their StarLink Equipment to Dubai and do not do business in Dubai and that any StarLink units shipped from the UAE are Fakes.....However, this isn't true that Space X doesn't operate in Dubai...as the company signed a massive deal in Jan 2023 with the UAE Govt and UAE largest Telecom Provider Elcome to provide StarLink high speed services to the entire UAE Maritime industry

Elon Musk's Starlink and Dubai's Elcome join forces to provide internet to maritime sector

The service will connect vessels to internet speeds that are up to 100 times faster than traditional satellite services

www.thenationalnews.com

Also troubling in Space X response was to claim that Space X is Not available in Russia and will Not work in Russia. However, the report was that StarLink was working in occupied locations within Ukraine that Russia has illegally annexed

 

[Polds4OSU]

The reports come the day After Tucker Carlson interview with Putin where he heaped praise on Musk


Vladimir Putin said there is 'no stopping' X-owner, Tesla founder and Neuralink-creator Elon Musk as he gushed over the 'smart' tech mogul.

The Russian leader heaped praise on Musk during a sit-down with Tucker Carlson that was released on Thursday night.

Putin was asked by Carlson about whether an 'AI empire' is on the horizon, pivoting the conversation to Musk whose Neuralink company has reportedly implanted a microchip into a human brain.

'I think there's no stopping Elon Musk. He will do as he sees fit,' Putin told Carlson.

'Nevertheless, you'll need to find some common ground with him. Search for ways to persuade him. I think he's a smart person. I truly believe he is.

Vladimir Putin said there is 'no stopping' Elon Musk in an interview with Tucker Carlson released on Wednesday© Provided by Daily Mail

The Russian president heaped praise on Musk, branding him a 'smart person' who will 'do as he sees fit'© Provided by Daily Mail

His comments came as Carlson pressed him about his views on the development of AI, a sector Musk is pushing to advance© Provided by Daily Mail
'So you'll need to reach an agreement with him because this process needs to be formalized and subjected to certain rules.'

 

[Polds4OSU]

Ukraine Confirms Russian Forces Are Using Musk's Starlink for Battlefield Internet Access​

Ukraine’s military intelligence has confirmed that Russian forces, especially the 83rd Air Assault Brigade in the Donetsk region, have utilized Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite communications system in a surprising development.The troops, involved in conflicts in Klishchiivka and Andriivka, have been documented discussing the establishment of internet access terminals, suggesting a “systemic” adoption of this advanced technology, despite previous denials by SpaceX.


Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence asserts it has verified the utilization of Starlink satellite communications by Russian forces in occupied areas. It alleges that intercepted conversations indicate the use of Starlink terminals to supply internet access to Russia’s 83rd Air Assault Brigade operating in the Donetsk region. This revelation has raised eyebrows, as SpaceX, the owning company of Starlink led by entrepreneur Elon Musk, has consistently stated that it “does not do business of any kind with the Russian government or its military.”“If SpaceX obtains knowledge that a Starlink terminal is being used by a sanctioned or unauthorized party, we investigate the claim and take actions to deactivate the terminal if confirmed,” the company said in a statement.


The origin of the Starlink equipment in the possession of Russian forces remains unknown. This is further complicated by the fact that Starlink has been crucial for Ukrainian battlefield communications since the Russian invasion started in February 2022.Reports indicate that Russia has been obtaining Starlink equipment from multiple locations, including Dubai, despite the existing sanctions. This hints at a more advanced method of circumventing international restrictions.

Starlink systems have been crucial for Ukraine‘s battlefield communications during Russia’s almost two-year-old invasion, as Kyiv has confronted a larger and better-equipped military. The fact that the US billionaire has personal control of Starlink and has consistently echoed Kremlin talking points about the conflict is a worry for Kyiv and its allies.The developments come at a time when Ukraine is undergoing a restructuring of its military leadership, aimed at enhancing their defensive capabilities and leveraging new technologies.



This situation raises wider questions about the neutrality of communication technologies in wartime and the responsibilities of private corporations in mitigating unauthorized use. As the conflict continues, the role of Starlink and similar systems remains under scrutiny, with their potential to alter the dynamics on the battlefield—a contemporary twist in the age-old saga of war.

 

[Polds4OSU]

Also on the same day that Ukraine Intel confirms Russia is buying and using StarLink against Ukraine.

Elon Musk says US should stop helping Ukraine defend itself against Russian invasion​

BREAKING: Elon Musk and Senator Ron Johnson discuss their opposition to escalating the ongoing bloody stalemate in the War in Ukraine. Instead, advocating for peace negotiations to bring an end to the loss of lives and the destruction of Ukraine.

ELON
: "My companies have probably done more to undermine Russia than anyone. Space X has taken away two-thirds of the Russian launch business. Starlink has overwhelmingly helped Ukraine.My concern is exactly what you articulated. If you have an extended war of attrition, every day that goes by, you're losing more Ukrainian people.They aren't even Ukrainian boys anymore because they are running out of boys. And if you are going to spend lives, it must be for a purpose. Not just a mile back and forth. In fact, the lines aren't moving. So, just every day, people die.As you said, there's no way Putin is going to lose. If he backs off, he will be assassinated. And for those who want regime change in Russia, they should think about who is the person that could take out Putin?Is that person likely to be a peacenik? Probably not. They're probably going to be even more hardcore than Putin."

Sen Ron Johnson
: "We all have to understand that Vladimir Putin will not lose this war... Losing to Vladimir Putin is existential to Vladimir Putin. Russia has four times the population and a much larger industrial base. Russia can produce 4.5 million artillery shells per year. We're not even up to 1 million per year. The average age of a Ukrainian soldier right now is 43 years old. Some of Zelensky's top aides say that even if the U.S. and its allies deliver all the weapons they have pledged, they don't have the men to use them. If you're worried about the people of Ukraine, you have to understand that probably 100,000 of their soldiers have been killed.The only way this war ends is in a settlement, and every day that the war goes on, more Ukrainians and more Russian conscripts die, more civilians die, and more of Ukraine gets destroyed. Again, sending $60 billion as added fuel to the flames of a bloody stalemate makes no sense. As evil of a war criminal as Putin is, he's not going to lose this war, and our colleagues here just aren't willing to accept that reality. They are living in a fantasy world thinking that Ukraine can win this thing."

 

[CowboyJD]

Also on the same day that Ukraine Intel confirms Russia is buying and using StarLink against Ukraine.

Elon Musk says US should stop helping Ukraine defend itself against Russian invasion​

BREAKING: Elon Musk and Senator Ron Johnson discuss their opposition to escalating the ongoing bloody stalemate in the War in Ukraine. Instead, advocating for peace negotiations to bring an end to the loss of lives and the destruction of Ukraine.

ELON
: "My companies have probably done more to undermine Russia than anyone. Space X has taken away two-thirds of the Russian launch business. Starlink has overwhelmingly helped Ukraine.My concern is exactly what you articulated. If you have an extended war of attrition, every day that goes by, you're losing more Ukrainian people.They aren't even Ukrainian boys anymore because they are running out of boys. And if you are going to spend lives, it must be for a purpose. Not just a mile back and forth. In fact, the lines aren't moving. So, just every day, people die.As you said, there's no way Putin is going to lose. If he backs off, he will be assassinated. And for those who want regime change in Russia, they should think about who is the person that could take out Putin?Is that person likely to be a peacenik? Probably not. They're probably going to be even more hardcore than Putin."

Sen Ron Johnson
: "We all have to understand that Vladimir Putin will not lose this war... Losing to Vladimir Putin is existential to Vladimir Putin. Russia has four times the population and a much larger industrial base. Russia can produce 4.5 million artillery shells per year. We're not even up to 1 million per year. The average age of a Ukrainian soldier right now is 43 years old. Some of Zelensky's top aides say that even if the U.S. and its allies deliver all the weapons they have pledged, they don't have the men to use them. If you're worried about the people of Ukraine, you have to understand that probably 100,000 of their soldiers have been killed.The only way this war ends is in a settlement, and every day that the war goes on, more Ukrainians and more Russian conscripts die, more civilians die, and more of Ukraine gets destroyed. Again, sending $60 billion as added fuel to the flames of a bloody stalemate makes no sense. As evil of a war criminal as Putin is, he's not going to lose this war, and our colleagues here just aren't willing to accept that reality. They are living in a fantasy world thinking that Ukraine can win this thing."

Good thing these types of folks weren't around to talk about the supreme military might of Hitler when Churchill needed the U.S.'s help.

Oh wait....they were around....even went under the same name as the types above...."America First" folks.

 

[Polds4OSU]

SpaceX will try to stop Russia using Starlink internet, Ukraine says, after Musk denied it was happening at all​

• Ukraine is working with SpaceX to stop Russian soldiers using Starlink, a Ukrainian minister said.
• SpaceX — and its founder Elon Musk — had disputed that Russia had access to Starlink at all.
• Ukraine now says SpaceX has conceded that it is happening, and is working on ways to deny access.
  
  

Ukraine said Monday that it's working with Elon Musk's SpaceX to stop Russia using Starlink terminals in its war.

The development — described by a Ukrainian minister giving a TV interview — followed a public fight over whether Russia had access to the technology at all.

Musk had previously asserted that Russia wasn't using Starlink internet in its invasion, which Ukraine repeatedly denied.

Starlink has been a major help to Ukrainian forces, allowing them to communicate in war-torn territories and easily operate technology like its drone fleet.

Russia was not supposed to enjoy the same advantage, but Ukraine said it was acquiring the terminals and putting them to use in the parts of eastern Ukraine occupied by its forces.

In a Monday interview with the Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne, Ukraine's minister for digital transformation said his officials had offered a solution.


"We found an algorithm and proposed it to SpaceX and we are now communicating with them to ensure that such cases do not occur," said the minister, Mikhailo Fedorov.

"SpaceX has done something similar with the Israeli government," he added, a reference to a deal struck over the use of Starlink in Gaza.

Fedorov said that simply turning Starlink off in occupied territories wasn't an option as Ukraine still needs its drones to be able to use the technology in these areas.

"There are other ways to make sure our Starlinks work and others don't. We are working with SpaceX on this," he said.

Earlier this month, Ukraine's spy chief, Kyrylo Budanov, told The Wall Street Journal that Russia was using thousands of Starlink terminals bought on the "open market".

It was using private companies to disguise the purpose of the purchases, Budanov said, then shipping them to Russia through other countries.


Elon Musk has consistently denied that Russians are using Starlink.

"This is categorically false. To the best of our knowledge, no Starlinks have been sold directly or indirectly to Russia," he previously wrote on X.

His comments focused on the possibility of Starlink being used in Russia itself, rather than in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine.

SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, sent outside regular working hours.

Musk has been an ambivalent figure in the war. He was praised by Ukrainians for providing Starlink access to the military in the early months of the conflict but has also been receptive to Russia's point of view.

He infamously cut off Starlink access during a high-stakes Ukrainian attack on Russia's Black Sea Fleet, causing the attack to fail.

Last week, he urged Republican lawmakers to vote against more funding for Ukraine, saying "there is no way in hell" that Russia would lose the war.


Fedorov said he didn't think there was "any connection" between Russia's acquisition of Starlink terminals and Musk's own views.

"It was only logical that the Russians would start purchasing them through third countries," he said.

"They had Starlinks, but now there are a few more of them. Someone, perhaps a Russian entrepreneur, has begun to monetize it."

"For me the survival of our soldiers is more important than concerning myself with Musk's statements."