It is reported that Russia has found new, more effective ways to defeat Ukraine Starlink service. The New York Times he said It said on Friday that the increased interference was cutting off communications at critical moments and posing a “huge threat to Ukraine,” putting the country on the back foot of more than two years of war. It is not clear how Russia jammed Elon Musk’s satellite internet terminals.
The New York Times He said that Russia’s ability to disrupt communications has reduced Ukraine’s ability to communicate, gather intelligence and conduct drone strikes. Ukrainian soldiers told the newspaper that the jammed Starlink service slows their ability to communicate quickly and makes it difficult for them to send text messages (often very slowly) to share information about incoming or ongoing Russian maneuvers or attacks.
The standoff is said to be recurring on Ukraine’s northern front line, often coinciding with Russian advances. The new outages are the first time Russia has experienced widespread and frequent interruptions to Starlink reception. If it goes ahead, it “could mark a tactical shift in the conflict,” underscoring Ukraine’s dependence on SpaceX’s internet technology. Without similar quality options, Volodymyr Zelensky’s democratic nation lacks many options that could work on the scale Ukraine needs.
Since the start of the war, Russia has tried to jam Ukraine’s communications, but the Starlink service has reportedly stood up to them. Something has changed. This was stated by the Minister of Digital Affairs of Ukraine Mykhailo Federov The New York Times This week, it was revealed that Russia’s latest jammers use “new and more advanced technology”.
Federov said NYT Vladimir Putin’s military is now “testing various mechanisms to disrupt the quality of Starlink communications, because it is very important to us.” The digital minister did not say exactly what weapons Russia was using, but a Russian official in charge of the country’s electronic warfare told state media last month that the military had put Starlink on a “target list” and was developing ways to do so. disrupt service.
The cuts highlight the power a mercurial billionaire can wield over a major Eastern European war. Ukrainian officials are reported to have “appealed directly to Mr. Musk to enable access to Starlink during military operations” ahead of the major drone strikes, and he not always forced.
The Wall Street Journal informed In February, that concern fueled concern that Musk might be at least somewhat sympathetic to Russia. He has posted comments on X that could be seen as pro-Russian, and disinformation experts are concerned about the way he manages the social platform. Russia may be friendly to the intervention In the 2024 primary elections, including those in the United States.
Musk made a speech Earlier this year, the United States opposed sending more aid to Ukraine. It is reported that Putin’s army is also there started using its own Starlink service, although Musk said he was unaware of the sale of the terminals to the Slavic people. Ukrainian officials raised concerns earlier this year about Russia’s purchase of Starlink technology from third-party vendors.
However, the Pentagon he said Earlier this month, the U.S. was “heavily engaged in working with the Ukrainian government and SpaceX to combat Russia’s illegal use of Starlink terminals,” and the outgoing space official described SpaceX as a “very reliable partner” in those operations.
