Russia buys Starlink terminals for war against Ukraine in Arab countries – Ukrainian Intelligence

The Defense Intelligence Agency of Ukraine has reported that Russia is purchasing communications equipment, including Starlink satellite Internet terminals, from Arab countries for use in the war against Ukraine. 

According to the Intelligence press service, Ukrainian intelligence officers learned this information from a radio interception of a Russian invader’s conversation. During the conversation, the Russians discussed the possibility of acquiring a Starlink satellite communication terminal.

According to one of the Russian military, “the Arabs bring everything: wires, Wi-Fi, routers.” At the same time, the cost of purchasing a Starlink device is 200 thousand rubles ($2195, or 83,180 UAH). It is not known which Arab countries are in question.

Earlier, the Ukrainian military confirmed that Russian troops are using SpaceX’s Starlink satellite Internet platform, owned by American billionaire Elon Musk, in the war in Ukraine. The businessman himself denied this information. It is known that Musk has previously made pro-Russian statements and opposed the provision of weapons to Ukraine.

The Ukrainian armed forces have been using Starlink terminals since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion. This has given Kyiv a significant advantage in the fight against Putin’s invading troops. 

If information about the sale of Starlink terminals to the Russian army through third countries is verified and confirmed, sanctioning the intermediary companies involved in the supply chain is necessary. Nevertheless, a thorough investigation is needed, and Mask’s company has a moral and corporate responsibility to help identify and halt supply chains.

In recent months, the United States and the EU have stepped up their efforts to combat sanctions circumvention against Russia in order to supply components that Moscow uses to manufacture weapons and strengthen its military capabilities at the front.

Halting the supply of war-capable goods to Russia is crucial to dismantling Putin’s war machine. Otherwise, it will offset the West’s multimillion-dollar aid to Ukraine and encourage the Putin regime to launch new aggressions, likely against European NATO members.