Elon Musk Warns Ukraine Starlink Users Could Be Targeted by Russia, Asks to Take These Precautions

Elon Musk Warns Ukraine Starlink Users Could Be Targeted by Russia, Asks to Take These Precautions
Tesla head Elon Musk talks to the press as he arrives to to have a look at the construction site of the new Tesla Gigafactory near Berlin near Gruenheide, Germany, on Sept. 3, 2020. Maja Hitij/Getty Images
Benzinga
Updated:
Tesla Inc and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Thursday urged Ukrainians to use Starlink with caution, saying the high-speed internet service could be targeted by Russian troops and gave a few pointers on how to go about it.

What Happened

Musk on Twitter said that Starlink was currently the only non-Russian communications system still working in parts of Ukraine and flagged a security warning.

He advised Starlink users in Ukraine to turn on the service only when needed and place its antenna as far away from people as possible.

Musk also recommended users place a light camouflage, which could include spraying paintwork without any metal over the antenna to avoid visual detection.

Why It Matters

Starlink beams down high-speed internet, especially in remote areas including those ravaged by war or natural calamity, via satellites in orbit to Earth.

The world’s richest person quickly reacted to Ukraine’s plea to provide Starlink stations and shipped terminals over the weekend.

Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov later published on Twitter to show a military truck carrying a cargo of Starlink terminals.

Starlink is known to have launched over 2,000 satellites, with SpaceX hoping to have 4,425 satellites in orbit by 2024. The Federal Communications Commission has approved 11,943 satellites to be launched by Starlink.

By Rachit Vats
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