In a major update, experts on Russia’s Security Council have said that Western satellite communications such as Starlink and OneWeb could be used to undermine the socio-political situation in sovereign countries and constitute a threat, according to Russia’s state RIA news agency.
The statement came after a conversation of the executive committee of the Scientific and Expert Council where they discussed information security issues and the use of Russia’s low-Earth orbit satellite system.
RIA pointed to a Security Council statement as saying, “During the meeting, the main risks and threats posed by the use of Western space-based communications systems over the territory of sovereign states to destabilise the socio-political situation were highlighted. This applies, first and foremost, to the widely used satellite communications services Starlink and OneWeb, which are actively expanding in countries interested in the accelerated digitalisation of their national economies.”
Vladimir Putin last month praised Elon Musk as a genius admitting that Russia is just starting to deploy a counterweight to his Starlink broadband network. His statement was all the more striking because Starlink developed by Musk has been used by Ukraine’s military throughout the war with Russia as a central component of drone operations and defense communications.
Ruqia Shahid is a reporter specialising in science, focusing on discoveries, research developments, and technological advancements. She translates complex scientific concepts into clear, engaging stories, helping readers understand the latest innovations and their real-world impact through accurate, accessible, and insight-driven reporting.
