Could threat extend to all European mobile operators?
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has been threatened by the head of Russia’s space agency for connecting Ukraine to the Starlink satellite broadband service. Musk’s Starlink has already ‘resisted hacking and jamming attempts’ from the Russians back in April and was focusing SpaceX efforts on counter measures – at the expense of other projects. Musk used Twitter to republish messages from Dmitry Rogozin, the head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, to the Russian media and a statement on Telegram.
Is Rogozin?
Rogozin – who has threatened to destroy all NATO countries ‘in half an hour’ – accused Musk of giving Starlink equipment to ‘Nazi Azov Battalion’ as well as branches of the Ukrainian military. “From the testimony of the captured chief of staff of the 36th Marine Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Colonel Dmitry Kormyankov, it follows that the ground-based subscriber equipment of the Starlink satellite company Elon Musk was delivered to the militants of the Nazi Azov Battalion and the Marines of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to Mariupol by military helicopters,” said Rogozin in an official statement to the media. “Elon Musk is thus involved with supplying the fascist forces in Ukraine with military communications,” Rogozin said. “And for this you will have to answer in an adult way, Elon, no matter how much you’ll play the fool.”
It’s drone fault
According to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky Starlink is giving Ukrainian forces the edge in winning the drone war as the besieged nation fights back with technology to track down invading Russians. Rogozin has been feuding with the billionaire since the invasion began, calling him ‘little devil’ and criticising the Tesla Cybertruck, according to Business Insider. SpaceX has launched more than 2,000 of its ‘Starlink’ space internet satellites into orbit and hopes to have 12,000 in the sky by 2026.
Threat to EU
While many European mobile operators have supported Ukraine, Starlink is particularly galling for the Russian military since its drones used in the field are not just connecting Starlink to Ukranians can be directed to drop anti-tank munitions to help ward off the Russian attack. Starlink satellite system is winning the drone war fUkaine as the nation fights back with technology to track down invading Russians, according to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who took to Twitter to thank the Tesla CEO, for the support, and invited the tech mogul to visit Ukraine once the war is over.