Pentagon blocks Russian forces from using Starlink in cyber strategy shift

The United States Department of Defense declared on Thursday that it has successfully acted to stop the unlawful use of Starlink internet terminals by Russian armed forces. These terminals are run by SpaceX, which Elon Musk established. Bloomberg reported this development, quoting John Plum, the Pentagon's head of space policy.

According to Bloomberg, Plum mentioned that the United States has worked closely with the government of Ukraine and SpaceX to counter Russia's unauthorized use of Starlink terminals. He acknowledged that the measures taken have been effective but noted that he expects Russia to continue trying to exploit Starlink and other commercial communication networks.

Plum refrained from providing specifics on the strategies, techniques, and processes implemented to block Russian access to Starlink terminals. Nonetheless, he confirmed that these are "effective solutions" devised in collaboration with Starlink and Ukraine.

In February, the Ukrainian military observed Russians utilizing Starlink terminals at their locations. This intel was subsequently verified by Ukrainian military intelligence, highlighting that Moscow procures terminals from Arab countries.

Following this, Democrats in the United States House of Representatives initiated an investigation into SpaceX.

In September 2023, the United States Senate Armed Services Committee started probing into the national security concerns potentially triggered by Elon Musk's decision to restrict access to his private satellite network, Starlink, around Crimea.