Russia Threatens To Target US And Allied Satellites In War, Including SpaceX's Starlink

Starlink internet network, did a lot for Ukraine. (photo: twitter @spacex)

JAKARTA - The war in the future may not be as simple as it is today. Space could be the next battlefield. Russia recently stated that private satellites used by the US and its allies could become legitimate military targets amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The remarks made this week by Konstantin Vorontsov, a member of Russia's Foreign Ministry and head of the country's delegation to the United Nations, came during a working group meeting in Geneva on efforts to reduce threats and enhance cooperation in space.

Vorontsov said the Russian delegation wanted to underscore the very dangerous trend that goes beyond the use of harmless space technology that had become apparent during the events in Ukraine.

According to the UN's English translation of the statement, Vorontsov said that the use of commercial and civilian satellite assets by the United States and its allies during the ongoing invasion of Ukraine constituted indirect involvement in the military conflict, whether they were aware of it or not and that the so-called quasi infrastructure -Civilians can be legitimate targets for retaliation.

At least this provocative use of civilian satellites is questioned under the Outer Space Treaty, which regulates the exclusively peaceful use of outer space, and should be strongly condemned by the international community.

Russia's comments arrived at the time being pushed back by the Ukrainian army and tensions were rising between the US and the regime led by Russian President, Vladimir Putin.

American officials say that Elon Musk's Starlink satellite system gives Ukrainian forces an edge in winning the drone war as the country leverages technology to track the Russian invasion. Even in the famous remote areas of Ukraine, they have always excelled.

Beyond the military applications of the Starlink network, Ukraine is also using it to bring high-speed connections to refugee camps in the country's western villages where many have fled.

Starlinkjasa provide service in Ukraine

According to Politico, members of Ukraine's 93rd mechanized brigade can tell their loved ones that they are safe via encrypted satellite messages every day after local cell phone networks are cut off during heavy shelling.

"Thank you, Elon Musk," Oleksiy told Politico immediately after logging in via the Starlink satellite to learn that the Joe Biden administration would be sending long-range rockets at the Ukrainian army in its fight with Russia.

Shortly after the invasion last February, SpaceX sent several Starlink shipping terminals to Ukraine to increase range and connectivity in the wake of Russia's attack on the country's telecommunications infrastructure.

There are now 150,000 daily active users of Starlink in Ukraine and a total of 15,000 terminals are used.

The Starlink network 'quickly' countered Russian jamming attacks in April. The Pentagon also noted that the US military's response to counter the attack would take much longer.

As reported by the Daily Mail, Dave Tremper, of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, praised SpaceX's capabilities for its agility, especially the way Starlink can improve when threats arise.

The Starlink terminals, which are small and connect to a dish, require very little electricity to operate and can even be powered by a car's cigarette lighter. This makes it quite easy to operate in a war-torn country.

U.S. Air Force awarded SpaceX a $1.9 million contract for Starlink services in Europe and Asia noting that the system is the only provider of a low-Earth orbit satellite network currently deployed in the contested environment: Ukraine.

The statement of the Russian delegation reportedly went on to warn the UN against adopting fragmentary non-inclusive rules to regulate space activities, which did not take into account the approach of all UN Member States and sought to ensure space dominance of a small group.

Russia later said US allies should focus on assuming national and international obligations not to place weapons of any kind in outer space, including in orbit around Earth and on celestial bodies, and prohibit the threat or use of force against or with objects. celestial bodies, as well as introducing a complete and complete prohibition of attack weapons in outer space for use against celestial bodies.

Even so, Russia appeared eager to cut ties with the US and its allies on other space-related matters, when last month it unveiled a self-designed model of the space station after leaving the International Space Station (ISS).

Roscosmos has showcased a new model of the space station they designed, which will have four modules during the first phase and eventually expand to six with a service platform. The design was unveiled at a military industry exhibition outside Moscow.

Yuris Borisov, head of Russia's space agency, said Russia would exit the ISS after 2024 and was working on its own space station.

Russian state media have reported that the first phase of the station could be launched in 2025-25 and by 2030 at the latest, with the final stage planned for 2030-35.