Russia's Foreign Ministry says Starlink-type satellite systems used to meddle in states
In short
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said satellite communications systems such as Starlink are being used increasingly to interfere in the internal affairs of states. She said Iran provided evidence that illegally imported Starlink terminals were used to coordinate protests in 2022, and that more than ten states have since suffered from illegal use of such systems. Vedomosti also recalled a 25 September request by Finnish President Alexander Stubb to Elon Musk to expand Starlink coverage for Ukraine.
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Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said satellite communication systems such as Starlink are being used increasingly to interfere in the internal affairs of states. According to RIA Novosti, the ministry said Starlink systems are used for intervention in countries' affairs. Zakharova made the comments to RIA Novosti, Vedomosti reported. [ 1 , 2 ]
Zakharova recalled that Iran had provided evidence that illegally imported Starlink terminals were used to coordinate protests in 2022, Vedomosti reported. She said that since then more than ten states have suffered from the illegal use of such systems, without naming them. The diplomat said illegal Starlink devices are still being identified in Iran despite the operator's statements that service had been suspended remotely, and described this as a mocking attitude toward the legislation of independent states. [ 2 ]
Vedomosti also recalled that on 25 September Finnish President Alexander Stubb asked SpaceX founder Elon Musk to expand Starlink coverage so that Ukraine could use satellite communications for strikes on Russian ballistic missile launchers. After that, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Pavel Zarubin that a possible provision of Starlink systems for strikes deep into Russia would be a potentially dangerous and reckless step. [ 2 ]
Why it matters
The statement puts a Russian official accusation against a foreign satellite operator on the record and links it to the war in Ukraine, where Starlink coverage has been discussed for military use. Coming from the Foreign Ministry, it signals a continuing Russian push against foreign satellite services operating in third countries. The documents give no indication of any regulatory or legal step that would follow.
Key facts
- Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said satellite communication systems such as Starlink are increasingly used to interfere in the internal affairs of states, in comments to RIA Novosti. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Zakharova said Iran provided evidence that illegally imported Starlink terminals were used to coordinate protests in 2022. [ 2 ]
- She said that since then more than ten states have suffered from the illegal use of such systems. [ 2 ]
- Zakharova said illegal Starlink devices are still being detected in Iran despite the operator's statements about remotely suspending service, which she called a mocking attitude to the legislation of independent states. [ 2 ]
- Vedomosti recalled that on 25 September Finnish President Alexander Stubb asked SpaceX founder Elon Musk to expand Starlink coverage so Ukraine could use satellite communications for strikes on Russian ballistic missile launchers. [ 2 ]
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Pavel Zarubin that providing Starlink systems for strikes deep into Russia would be a potentially dangerous and reckless step. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Which more than ten states, besides Iran, have been affected by illegal use of such systems. Zakharova gave a number but did not name the states, and the claim appears only in one document.
- Whether the operator has in fact remotely suspended Starlink service in Iran, as Zakharova says it has stated. The claim rests on a single document's account of Zakharova's remarks; no statement from the operator appears in the documents.
- Any response from Starlink's operator or SpaceX to Zakharova's accusations. The documents contain no reaction from the company, so the dispute is reported from one side only.