Why is Elon Musk’s Starlink internet so important on the battlefield in Ukraine? | BBC News
Ukraine will resume strikes on Russian oil refineries, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said, as he accused the US of withdrawing crucial support.
He also accused the US of withdrawing intelligence-sharing on Russian strikes, and said restrictions to Starlink satellite services used by Ukraine’s military were deliberate.
Ukraine’s military relies on US early-warning alerts of incoming Russian aerial attacks to mount air defences, limiting successful strikes, while Starlink internet links are used throughout its war effort to guide drones and protect its skies.
But on Tuesday night, Starlink suddenly and unexpectedly restricted the speed at which drones could fly while still maintaining internet connection. This disrupted some battlefield “missions”, a top Ukrainian official said, and hampered Kyiv’s ability to protect itself from incoming Russian attacks.
Elon Musk, whose Space X company operates Starlink, suggested that the US government may have been behind the restrictions, adding that Starshield, the military-grade sister service to Starlink, is controlled by the US government, and “any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately [the US president]”.
The US government has not commented.
Subscribe to our channel here: https://bbc.in/bbcnews
For the latest news download the BBC News app or visit BBC.com/news
#Ukraine #Starlink #BBCNews
