“Lifeline for Counterstrike”
What the end of Starlink means for Ukraine
By Frauke Niemeyer and Hubertus Volmer
2/9/2023 4:52 p.m
Military expert Franz-Stefan Gady says the use of Tesla founder Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite network is particularly important for “rapid Ukrainian counter-attacks”. The Ukrainian armed forces also use other systems. But in the short term, the Starlink dependency is high.
An official reaction from the Ukrainian government to SpaceX’s decision to only provide the Ukrainian army with limited mobile internet is still pending. However, it is clear that the military capabilities of the Ukrainian army are being reduced or have already been hindered as a result.
In any case, the step taken by Tesla founder Elon Musk’s space company in Kyiv did not meet with approval. Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser to Ukraine’s presidential office, wrote on Twitter that SpaceX must decide whether to side with Ukraine and the right to freedom, or with Russia and the “right” to kill and steal territory.
Given Starlink’s importance to Ukraine, the anger is understandable. Restricting Starlink applications could significantly affect Ukrainian operations, military expert and political advisor Franz-Stefan Gady told ntv.de. Above all, the implementation of offensive operations is made more difficult. “In many ways, Starlink is the lifeline for quick Ukrainian counterattacks, as it enables rapid battlefield reconnaissance and coordination between different elements and units,” said the analyst at the Institute for International Strategic Studies (IISS) in London.
“It wasn’t meant that way”
Ukraine has used Starlink not only for communications, but also for direct military purposes. So reported Reuters reported in late January that the Ukrainian army was deploying drone strike units using Starlink satellite communications.
SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell told a space conference in Washington on Wednesday that Starlink was not intended to be used as a weapon. Ukraine used Starlink in a way that wasn’t part of the agreement – Shotwell didn’t get any more specific than that. She understands Ukraine’s struggle, she said, but “it wasn’t intended that way.” Starlink have therefore taken measures to restrict military use.
How exactly that happens, Shotwell did not say. “There are things we can do and have done,” she said loudly “Wall Street Journal” after her performance. At the same time, she made it clear that she believes it should be used for normal communication within the Ukrainian army “OK” may be.
It is unclear to what extent the “things” SpaceX has done are already affecting Ukraine’s military capabilities. According to Gady, there are alternatives to Starlink. “The Ukrainian armed forces are already using other systems as backup. However, it is difficult to estimate how quickly and in what number these alternatives could be delivered,” says the expert. “The Starlink dependency will remain, at least in the short term.”