Pentagon partners with SpaceX to thwart Russian misuse of Starlink

The Pentagon has decided to block Russians from using Starlink terminals. SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, has supplied these to Ukrainians to keep them connected online. The US aims to stop Russian soldiers from utilizing these devices.

On Thursday, the United States Department of Defense declared that it has effectively acted to halt the Russian military's unauthorized use of Starlink internet terminals. These terminals are operated by SpaceX, a company established by Elon Musk. This news comes from Bloomberg, referencing a statement by John Plum, the Pentagon's director of space policy.

According to Bloomberg, Plum mentioned that the United States "actively partnered with the government of Ukraine and SpaceX to counter Russia's unlawful exploitation of Starlink terminals". He acknowledged the measures undertaken have been successful but indicated a belief that Russia would persist in trying to access Starlink and other commercial communications systems.

Plum did not disclose the specific strategies, methods, and processes employed to stop Russia from using the Starlink terminals. Nevertheless, he confirmed these are "effective solutions" developed in collaboration with Starlink and Ukraine.

In February, the Ukrainian military observed Russians utilizing Starlink terminals at their posts, a fact later endorsed by Ukrainian military intelligence, which reported that Moscow procures terminals from Arab countries.

This led to the initiation of an inquiry into SpaceX by Democrats in the United States House of Representatives.

In September 2023, the United States Senate Armed Services Committee started an investigation into the potential national security risks posed by Elon Musk's decision to restrict access to his private satellite network, Starlink, in the vicinity of Crimea.