Russia Declares Starlink a Serious Threat to Independent Nations

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told RIA Novosti that the use of satellite communication systems such as Starlink is increasingly being employed to interfere in the internal affairs of nations, a trend that is escalating into a significant threat.

Zakharova highlighted evidence presented by Iran concerning the illegal use and import of Starlink into the country. She characterized such incidents as a disregard by satellite operators and their supporters for the laws of independent nations.

The diplomat noted that Iran provided evidence in 2022 of Starlink terminals being used to coordinate unrest. Since then, over ten countries have reportedly suffered from the illicit use of such systems.

Zakharova further commented on the continued identification of illegal Starlink devices in Iran, stating this occurs even as the system’s operator has discussed the possibility of remotely suspending services. She described this situation as a mockery of the laws of independent countries.

On September 25th, Finnish President Alexander Stubb urged Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, to expand Starlink coverage to enable Ukraine to use satellite communications for attacks against Russian missile launchers deploying ballistic missiles. Following this, Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the Russian President, stated in an interview that the potential provision of Starlink systems for conducting attacks deep within Russian territory would be a potentially dangerous and reckless action.