Russia-Ukraine war: Kremlin denies Kyiv's alleged use of Elon Musk's Starlink by its troops

Amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine, Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet system finds itself at the center of a dispute. After Ukraine claimed that Russian forces are utilizing Starlink in occupied territories, both Russia and Musk deny these accusations.

Russia's stance was repeated by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who said that Starlink lacks official certification for use within their borders. He emphasized that due to the absence of official supply channels, any use of the technology would be considered unofficial and thus unauthorized. 

Speaking to media persons Dmitry Peskov said, "This is not a certified system with us; accordingly, it cannot be officially supplied here and is not officially supplied. Accordingly, it cannot be used officially in any way."

"That is why here, perhaps, we should not intrude into the discussion between the Kyiv regime and the entrepreneur Musk", he added.

What has Ukraine claimed about Russia's use of Starlink?

Ukraine paints a different picture. Their intelligence agency claims to have confirmed the use of Starlink terminals by specific Russian military units operating in eastern Ukraine. This directly contradicts Elon Musk's assertion on X, formerly Twitter, where he categorically denied selling Starlink terminals to Russia directly or indirectly.

What has Elon Musk said?

Adding to the confusion, Musk previously acknowledged restricting Starlink's use in Crimea, claiming concerns about escalating the conflict. He posted, "To the best of our knowledge, no Starlinks have been sold directly or indirectly to Russia. A number of false news reports claim that SpaceX is selling Starlink terminals to Russia. This is categorically false."

What next?

The Starlink empowers communication and information sharing for civilians and military alike, its presence sparks concerns about neutrality, potential misuse, and ethical considerations. As the conflict in Ukraine rages on, the debate surrounding Starlink's role and its compliance with legal and ethical frameworks is likely to intensify, demanding clear solutions and responsible action from all involved parties.