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SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk has denied that his company is selling Starlink satellite internet terminals to Russia, following reports that Russian forces were using them in the disputed Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.
“A number of false news reports claim that SpaceX is selling Starlink terminals to Russia. This is categorically false,” Musk said on X, a social media platform that he frequently uses.
“To the best of our knowledge, no Starlinks have been sold directly or indirectly to Russia,” he added.
Musk’s statement came after the Financial Times reported that Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence unit had intercepted radio communications confirming the use of Starlink terminals by Russian units in the occupied areas of Donetsk.
The report cited a Telegram post by the GUR, which claimed that the Starlink terminals were providing high-speed internet access to Russian forces, allowing them to coordinate their operations and communicate with their command.
Starlink is a project by SpaceX to create a global network of thousands of low-Earth orbit satellites that can beam broadband internet to any location on Earth. The company has launched more than 1,800 satellites so far and plans to deploy up to 42,000 in the future.
SpaceX has been offering Starlink service to customers in select regions, including the US, Canada, UK, Germany, and Australia, for a monthly fee of $99 and a one-time equipment cost of $499. The company has said that it aims to expand its coverage to most of the world by the end of 2021.
However, SpaceX has also faced regulatory hurdles and opposition from some countries, such as Russia and China, which have expressed concerns over the potential security and sovereignty implications of Starlink.
In December 2020, Russia’s space agency Roscosmos said that it would not allow SpaceX to operate Starlink in its territory, citing the risk of interference with its own satellite systems and the violation of its national laws.
In January 2021, China’s state media outlet Global Times reported that Starlink posed a threat to China’s national security and internet sovereignty, and that the country would take countermeasures to protect its interests.
The conflict in eastern Ukraine has escalated in recent weeks, as Russia has amassed tens of thousands of troops and military equipment near the border with Ukraine, raising fears of a possible invasion.
The US and its allies have expressed their support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and have urged Russia to de-escalate the situation and engage in dialogue.
The US has also imposed sanctions on Russia for its alleged interference in the 2020 US presidential election and its involvement in the SolarWinds cyberattack, which affected several US government agencies and private companies.
