SpaceX currently permits Ukraine to use Starlink only on Ukrainian territory, including Russian-occupied areas such as Crimea, while blocking its use inside Russia.
  • Winning@lemmy.world
    162·
    8 hours ago

    I’m all for giving Ukraine this type of capability, but tying the capability with a civilian product name has massive risks that used to mostly just be theory until wildberries warehouses started exploding. I just checked Amazon, there’s a LOT of starlink for sale on there.

    In a long winded, hand wavey way, Elons massive need to be the center of attention makes your local amazon distribution center a legitimate military target with deals like this.

    Wait…wait. yes let’s do this.

    • partial_accumen@lemmy.world
      2·
      2 hours ago

      I’m all for giving Ukraine this type of capability, but tying the capability with a civilian product name has massive risks that used to mostly just be theory until wildberries warehouses started exploding. I just checked Amazon, there’s a LOT of starlink for sale on there.

      Not quite the same thing.

      The fact that Wildberries sells drones isn’t the reason that Ukraine is targeting them. Its the fact that formal Russian military units and Russian soldiers are ordering drones, body armor, grenade release parts, etc from Wildberries that get delivered by Wildberries to the Russian military. As in, there is no distinction from Wildberries and the Russian military logistics channels, ItsTheSamePicture.jpg.

      Now, if the Ukrainian military is ordering Starlink terminals from Amazon, then Amazon could be targeted by Russia for the same reason. Instead, Ukraine is getting Starlink terminals en masse from foriegn governments and directly from SpaceX.

      Even more specifically, Ukraine has designed and built their own antennas that are compatible with many different satellite constellations with Starlink being just one of them. As I understand it, these Ukrainian build antennas are the ones we see on drone guided weapons.

    • esc@piefed.socialEnglish
      4·
      7 hours ago

      Military starlinks (starshield) are essentially the same as civilian ones, difference is in prioritization and limits. Also fearing strikes from r*ssia is beyond regarded, they understand only strength and fear.

      • Winning@lemmy.world
        1·
        6 hours ago

        According to the report, Ukraine also suggested using SpaceX’s military-grade Starshield network if Musk refuses to authorize Starlink, although Ukrainian officials said Starshield would be more expensive and harder to integrate into existing drone systems.

        This is in the linked article. Kyiv Post and UA officials disagree that they’re essentially the same, and they want starlink.

        • esc@piefed.socialEnglish
          2·
          6 hours ago

          We already have ‘starshield’ starlinks in limited numbers in minecraft. They are more expensive afaik, but antennas/recievers are the same (maybe it’s some kind of limited access to the system or they don’t produce/supply different/military terminals yet I don’t know).