Ukraine: Musk blocks Starlink for Russian military
For several days now, the Starlink satellite Internet system has only been accessible for officially authorised devices in Ukraine. In practice this means that the Russian attackers on Ukrainian territory can no longer use the vital communications technology offered by Elon Musk's company SpaceX. Europe's press looks at the causes and consequences.
Back to radios and field telephones
Neatkarīgā examines the impact on the front:
“By rendering the Kremlin's troops deaf and blind on the battlefield, the controversial Musk has at least temporarily halted the invaders' attacks. Now Putin's combat units must go back to communicating in the old-fashioned way and make do with the crackling of 'good old' army radios or Soviet-era field telephones. ... However, field telephones have a major drawback: a cable must be laid on the battlefield, and the Russian military-industrial complex no longer manufactures such exotic products. ... Most Russian and Ukrainian army units used Starlink, especially on the front lines. ... Currently, 70 percent of the combat drones and attack units on the front lines, as well as tanks, artillery and much more are blocked.”
Corruption and incompetence exposed
The new situation on the front line is not going unnoticed by Russian society, Gazeta Wyborcza points out:
“Now that it turns out that Musk's favour was fickle, the Russians are having to resort to more primitive and unreliable channels. ... Musk tolerated the Russians using Starlink, which has been a great help to them. But apparently attacks on trains and buses as well as civilian casualties in houses destroyed by drones controlled by his network have prompted him to change his mind. ... Many prominent Russian bloggers are now pointing out that it is due to corruption and incompetence that Russia doesn't have its own equivalent to Starlink today.”
Reasons for Moscow's misjudgement
Dzerkalo Tyzhnia explains why Moscow trusted Elon Musk for so long:
“The Russian Armed Forces' decision to use the American Starlink network seemed questionable and short-sighted from the outset, since this satellite communication technology belongs to a Nato country. But let's remember the context: Elon Musk praising Putin and declaring that the transfer of Crimea to Russia was necessary to avoid a nuclear war, in conjunction with his constant criticism of Ukraine, which intensified in the summer and autumn of 2024. So did the Russians have good reasons to consider Musk 'their man'? Absolutely.”
Too late again
Although this is the right move it has a bitter aftertaste, comments Die Zeit:
“Had SpaceX done this earlier, or had European governments helped Ukraine to put the company under pressure, some of the country's defeats on the battlefield might have been prevented and lives saved. There is no satisfactory explanation to the question of why it is only after four years of war that Russia is finally losing access to such vital Western technology. Instead, this story is yet another example of how the right decisions for Ukraine are being made far too late.”