Musk deputy's words on Starlink 'weaponization' vex Ukraine
Ukrainians have reacted with puzzlement and some ire to comments by a top Starlink official that their country has “weaponized” the satellite internet service
BOSTON (AP) — Ukrainians reacted Thursday with puzzlement and some ire to comments by a top Starlink official that their country has “weaponized” the satellite internet service, which has been pivotal to their national survival.
President Gwynne Shotwell of SpaceX, which runs Starlink, was also reported to have said at the same venue Wednesday that the Elon Musk-controlled company has taken unspecified action to prevent Ukraine's military from using Starlink technology against Russian invaders.
The network of low-orbiting satellites has been crucial to Ukraine's use of battlefield drones — a central fixture of the year-old war — and the country's defenders have no viable alternative. The satellite links help Ukrainian fighters locate the enemy and target long-range artillery strikes.
Onstage at a conference in Washington, D.C., Shotwell said: “We were really pleased to be able to provide Ukraine connectivity and help them in their fight for freedom. It was never intended to be weaponized. However, Ukrainians have leveraged it in ways that were unintentional and not part of any agreement."
