Outrage over executive’s “weaponized” comments
Ukrainians reacted Thursday with puzzlement and some ire to comments by a top Starlink executive 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, also was reported to have said at the same venue Wednesday that the Elon Muskcontrolled 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 inwashington, 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.”
Speaking separately to reporters from The Wall Street Journal and other news organizations afterward, Shotwell said Spacex has worked to restrict Ukraine’s use of Starlink for military purposes.
“There are things that we can do to limit their ability to do that,” they quoted her as saying without offering details. “There are things that we can do, and have done.”
That drew the ire of a top aide to President Volodymyr Zelensky y.
In a tweet, Mykhailo Podolyak said Spacex needs to decide whether it is on the side of Ukraine’s right to freedom or Russia’s “‘right’ to kill & seize territories.”
It was not clear whether Shotwel l ’ s comment s were made at the urging of Musk, the founder, CEO and chief engineer of Spacex. An email to Spacex seeking comment was not returned.
There was no indication of any interruption to Starlink service in Ukraine.
In a statement, the country’s minister of digital transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, reported “no problems with the operation of Starlink uplink terminals in Ukraine.” Aministry official familiar with the situation said checks Thursday of cities near the war’s front lines found no indications of trouble with Starlink coverage. The official spoke on condition they not be further identified.
The 2,200- satellite constellation has been a lifeline for the country since Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion, especially vital as Ukraine struggles to keep electrical power and telecommunications operating under withering Russian missile and drone attacks on civilian targets.
In the statement, Fedorov touted the arrival of the first of a new batch of 10,000 terminals provided by the German government, adding: “Starlinks help save thousands of lives daily. The energy infrastructure continues to work due to Starlinks. Doctors perform complex surgeries thanks to the connection that Starlinks provide.”
The Thursday statement called Musk “one of the biggest private donors of our future victory,” estimating Spacex’s contributions as worth more than $100 million. “We hope for further stable work of Starlinks in Ukraine.”