If Starlink isn't able to control who uses its systems, tomorrow it could be actors far worse than Russia's shadow fleet.
212
cheetuzzMay 9, 2026
+40
that’s a foregone conclusion. just like other sanctions, the products/services can be “laundered” through third parties.
40
Thin-Usual-4359May 9, 2026
+36
assuming usa sees it as a bad thing, that russia has access to it
36
schrodMay 9, 2026
+20
Which is why it is important to have leaders who haven't been compromised by having a scandalous past life recorded by the Kremlin.
20
y2k2009May 10, 2026
+2
Or the more probable explanation is that Elon Musk is secretly allowing them to use it.
2
mfb-May 10, 2026
+1
Do you expect a SpaceX employee to personally watch every terminal?
It's easy to control who buys it, and in which area it works - but you cannot check the nationality of someone who connects to the router, and international waters aren't telling you who is using it either.
1
IntelArtiGenMay 10, 2026
+4
I expect them to know where they are providing internet yes. If you say you're in Kazakhstan and they're sending you packets in the Atlantic Ocean perhaps there is an issue. And of course I'm sure it would be very hard to code an algorithm that does this, which is why you tell me an employee has to personally check everyone. It's even possible for them to install a GPS with signature on their router and block the device if it doesn't receive GPS.
Also even if they had to check everyone, yes, I expect them to do it. As I said these routers can be used for a very bad purpose, including directly supporting an invading army in Europe which is what happened. You think I care the least if they have to recruit 10 people and add delay to new users to ensure they're not supporting a war, or terrorists, or anything of that kind? I don't.
4
mfb-May 10, 2026
+2
Starlink has contracts for ships. If someone in e.g. France buys such a contract and the terminal moves around in international waters, how would SpaceX tell the difference between intended and illegal use? If they are dumb enough to go to a Russian harbor with the terminal still active, sure, that's something you can detect... but I assume they already check that.
2
ohitsallpeachesMay 9, 2026
+32
Can't help but feel like a cynic here but why would the DoD care? The longer Russia and Ukraine go at it, the longer the DoD can justify its spending. They have 0 incentive to curtail Russia using Starlink when it won't make a big enough of a difference to end the war.
Also, f*** Putin, f*** Elon, f*** Starlink and f*** Donald Trump.
32
Exumer599May 9, 2026
+14
Ukraine didn't ask the DoD for help, it looks like they are trying to reach out to anyone in Starlink. As Starlink is an ISP, they should know exactly who is using it, regardless of where they say they are. It might not be that hard to find out if they are using Starlink, though it would be extremely hard to get them to stop, given who would need to be involved.
14
ClubsBabySealMay 9, 2026
+4
They know that a terminal is operating but not who's operating it. They're an isp not an intelligence agency. It's why ukraine had to build a whitelist.
4
TemporarySun314May 9, 2026
+34
the US is busy sanctioning the ICC and its judges. then they dont have much time to enforce the sanctions against russia.
and never forget that the US is nowadays very proud that they cut ukraine aid, so i guess they dont have much of a problem when russia uses us tech to hurt ukraine.
34
Best_Change4155May 10, 2026
+3
>the US is busy sanctioning the ICC and its judges. then they dont have much time to enforce the sanctions against russia.
The US has a ton of sanctions on Russia.
>and never forget that the US is nowadays very proud that they cut ukraine aid, so i guess they dont have much of a problem when russia uses us tech to hurt ukraine.
?
Starlink needed to wait for Ukraine to create whitelist before banning Russian operators in Ukraine.
3
PixelsGoBoomMay 10, 2026
Some sanctions are more important than others.
If there is anything you need to fight wars it is fuel.
[Trump Extends Sanctions Exemption on Some Russian Oil as High Gas Prices Persist - The New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/17/world/middleeast/russia-us-oil-sanctions.html)
0
Best_Change4155May 10, 2026
Damn, that's crazy. Have the Europeans stopped buying Russian gas?
0
PixelsGoBoomMay 10, 2026
+1
Nope.
They managed to reduce it at first, but (*also)* thanks to Trump and his "not a war" in Iran, Russia now has extra income to fight its war against Ukraine.
*"The European Union bought a record amount of* [*gas*](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/gas) *from* [*Russia*](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/russia)*'s largest natural gas project in the first four months of the year as* [*the Iran war*](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iran-us-war-live-trump-ceasefire-oil-strait-of-hormuz-beirut-b2972733.html) *pushes Europe back towards the fuel it has been trying to phase out."*
*"The demand for Russian oil and gas has* [*skyrocketed worldwide since the Iran war began*](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iran-us-war-oil-china-india-russia-trump-b2931575.html)*. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz since late February has removed significant volumes of liquefied natural gas from global markets. The strait normally carries around a fifth of global LNG flows, leaving* [*Europe*](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/europe) *with fewer alternatives and pushing benchmark gas prices sharply higher."*
[EU purchases from Russia’s largest natural gas field hit record £3bn | The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/europe-russia-gas-import-iran-war-yamal-lng-b2972943.html)
1
Best_Change4155May 10, 2026
-1
>but (*also)* thanks to Trump and his "not a war" in Iran, Russia now has extra income to fight its war against Ukraine.
The war in Ukraine started 4 years ago. Blaming Trump and a war that started 2 months ago is f****** hilarious.
"The Europeans were thiiis close to sanctioning Russian gas and weaning themselves off Russia, but then two months ago Trump ruined everything"
-1
PixelsGoBoomMay 10, 2026
+2
Maybe learn to read.
Russia has more funds thanks to Trump lowering sanctions on them.
Or maybe you really expect oil and gas dependent economies with half a billion people to just flip a magical switch?
It's a process and that got reset thanks to Trump.
2
Best_Change4155May 10, 2026
+1
>Russia has more funds thanks to Trump lowering sanctions on them.
Russia has even more funds because the Europeans can't stop buying Russia gas.
>It's a process and that got reset thanks to Trump.
lmao
1
PixelsGoBoomMay 10, 2026
+3
Yeah as I thought... Can't read.
Expected from someone that still makes up excuses for Trump.
3
Confident_Client_414May 9, 2026
+11
Putin aids Iran and President Putin-Pal thinks that's great.
Why would he care about this?
11
vitaminz1990May 9, 2026
+5
16 comments and thousands of upvotes. What happened to Listnook?
5
SuomenVasaraMay 9, 2026
+13
Watch this. Confirmed! No investigation necessary. That Muskrat will take dirty money from anybody and lie to everyone it puts in harm's way.
13
BookandaglassofwineMay 9, 2026
+5
Question for you: do you think Ukraine’s military position would be better off if Starlink had never been created?
5
SuomenVasaraMay 9, 2026
-1
Counter question. Do you think Ukraine's military position would be better off if Muskrat wasn't selling to both sides?
Edit: To answer your question more directly, no. The problem is with Musk's Starlink being haphazardly deployed without safeguards from an invading force operating it within the borders of the nation they're occupying. Musk and Starlink should be held accountable for that.
-1
VallenValiantMay 10, 2026
+4
Starlink was never activated in Russia. i don't know what you are talking about. The fact that you can use Starlink in Ukraine territory is a separate matter. But there is no legal way to get Starlink in Russia, and if you break the law it is not Musk's fault.
4
Gloomy_Ticket_3075May 10, 2026
+1
Correct, individual action can be individuated from the blind corporate greed that potentiates it which happens to be Elon’s SOP. Very good buddy.
However blindly launching the largest, least responsible, least Kepler aware, space infrastructure development mission sets in history will put him down as one of the stupidest of the tech-robber barons in the annals of history.
1
VallenValiantMay 11, 2026
They are very kepler aware. And the only reason it becomes possible to clean space trash, is by making space travel affordable. I know you are just making things up at this point as they are not factual so I will leave you to it.
0
Gloomy_Ticket_3075May 11, 2026
+2
Sure because a proclaimed 99% re-entry burn rate that has proven within batch 1 to be wrong by quite a bit pushing for rapid expansion is Kepler aware executive action. Sure.
Space trash inc more like.
You get all your information from grok and think ya know it all don’t you?
2
SuomenVasaraMay 10, 2026
-2
You might might want to Google that. Militaries serving fascist dictatorships don't exactly operate within the law 100% of the time. Billionaire grifters also have quite the reputation for exploiting loopholes for financial gain.
Edit: I'd also like to point out that I never once implied Starlink was active in Russia. It is a fact that they had been using it inside Ukrainian territory. If you don't think that Starlink has the capability of seeing how it's service is being used - you're living in a fantasy world. Furthermore, Musk has been in direct contact with Russian leadership over the course of the invasion. To think that at no point he suggested ways to get around the legal obstacles in purchasing Starlink systems, most notably from Dubai, is a level of naivety that doesn't belong in public conversation.
-2
snarky_answerMay 9, 2026
+5
Not like it’s that hard to purchase a kit and place it on any boat for use. It’s not like people sign up saying “im going to use this on my sanctioned vessel”.
5
totallyRebbMay 9, 2026
+1
Maybe his Senpai Putin got a bit upset about him disabling(?) Starlink for Russia in Ukraine, so this is how he makes up for it.
1
0Tezorus0May 9, 2026
+2
Musk playing a double game would be the least surprising news.
2
Flaky-Deer2486May 10, 2026
Elon plays all sides of the fence. That's his jam.
0
Part_TrickyMay 9, 2026
No wonders, Elon is helping Russia and far right radicals, Russia helped him for SpaceX rockets.
0
I_Cancel_PeopleMay 10, 2026
Zelensky, if Elon is helping Putin, it is legal and expected for you to drone visit Grok data servers
36 Comments