Russia has issued a veiled threat to “retaliate” against SpaceX’s satellite internet system Starlink for aiding the Ukrainian military
A Russian representative named Konstantin Vorontsov issued the warning last week at a United Nations working group meeting(Opens in a new window) on reducing space threats.
Vorontsov—who was reportedly(Opens in a new window) a former acting Deputy Director of Russia’s Foreign Ministry Department—didn’t name SpaceX or Starlink by name. But he noted: “We would like to underline an extremely dangerous trend that goes beyond the harmless use of outer space technologies and has become apparent during the events in Ukraine. Namely, the use by the United States and its allies of the elements of civilian, including commercial, infrastructure in outer space for military purposes,” according to the unofficial translation(Opens in a new window) of his statement.
Vorontsov then issued his threat by saying: “It seems like our colleagues do not realize that such actions in fact constitute indirect involvement in military conflicts. Quasi-civilian infrastructure may become a legitimate target for retaliation.”
The statement from Russia seems to have caught the attention of SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. On Friday, he tweeted(Opens in a new window) out: “Starlink is meant for peaceful use only.”
www.pcmag.com/news/russia-makes-veiled-threat-to-destroy-spacexs-starlink
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