Elon Musk’s company SpaceX has limited Ukraine’s ability to use its satellite internet service for military purposes after reports that Kyiv has used it to control drones, BBC reports. SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell said the company had taken steps to “limit” the abilities of the Ukrainian armed forces to use Starlink in an offensive way – without giving further details.
“Early in the war, Ukraine was given thousands of SpaceX Starlink dishes – which connect to satellites and help people stay connected to the internet. But it is also said to have used the tech to target Russian positions with drones – which SpaceX says goes against the service agreement,” BBC says.
The Starlink technology was “never meant to be weaponized,” SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell said in Washington DC on 8 February, claiming that the equipment had been provided for humanitarian use, and was acceptable for the Ukrainian military “for comms,” but said her intent was “never to have them use it for offensive purposes”.
