Russian forces are attempting to lure Ukrainian citizens with sums of money to register Starlink terminals, after the Ukrainian government and entrepreneur Elon Musk’s company SpaceX took measures to block Russian troops’ access to the high-speed satellite internet needed on the front.
According to Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov, the new advisor to the Ukrainian Minister of Defense on technology issues, the Russian army is trying to recruit Ukrainians into an illicit scheme aimed at gaining access to the Starlink terminals that have been blocked for several days for Russian troops, reports Euromaidan Press.
SpaceX has suspended services to its satellite internet at the request of Kiev, with measures being taken in coordination with Ukrainian officials. Access to the internet via Starlink terminals has become essential for Russian military operations, allowing real-time video transmission of information flow from drones, as well as communications between assault groups and command centers.
“Traitors rightly hesitate, as we will compare the number of Starlinks captured from the enemy with data from administrative service centers, and these ‘easy money lovers’ will get 15 years or life imprisonment if the terminal they register causes the death of people,” Beskrestnov warned.
Russian military bloggers continue to report on the impact of these measures on the combat operations of Russian troops. On February 8, a blogger wrote that Russian units from different sectors of the front are facing communication problems and need donations of new equipment to ensure radio and satellite communication. Another described the blocking of access to Starlink as “extremely unfortunate,” noting that although “wise” commanders have created alternative means of communication, aware of the risks of dependence on Starlink, Russian forces still do not have a sufficiently good equivalent to completely replace the system. The military blogger reported that all communications currently take place “on the ground.”
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