Russia uses thousands of Starlink satellite communication systems from Elon Musk-led SpaceXand acquires them through former former Soviet republics, according to the Ukrainian lieutenant general, Kyrylo Budanov Chief of the country’s military intelligence service.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Budanov claims that private Russian companies buy the terminals from middlemen who pass off the purchases as for personal use and ship the equipment to Russia via neighboring countries, including former Soviet republics.
The head of Ukrainian intelligence assures that the Russian army units themselves, a country subject to an international embargo due to the invasion of Ukraine, tried to acquire Starlink terminals and raise money for the purchases.
Budanov complains that Russia’s massive use of this technology could “undermine” Ukraine’s “advantage on the battlefield.”
The newspaper recalls that last year the Ukrainian government announced that its army, hospitals, companies and aid organizations were using around 42,000 of these terminals.
The Starlink system is considered more secure than cellular or radio signals and has become an important element of Ukrainian operations against the Russian invasion.
Kiev had previously denounced Russia’s use of Starlink terminals after it intercepted a conversation in which Russian soldiers were heard talking about these systems, which were allegedly installed by army units and deployed on the Bakhmut front in Ukrainian territory.
However, Starlink itself stated that it does not sell its terminals to Russia and that the service would not work in this country since it is not active in its territory, and its owner, Elon Musk, has restricted the information about the use of these systems of the Russian Armed Forces from ¿categorically false¿.
Like other space communications systems, Starlink relies on satellites in orbit to provide access to high-speed internet connections.
