An American nonprofit organization has raised concerns about alleged Russian and Chinese technologies that could disrupt the functioning of Starlink satellites.
The information was revealed in a report by the Secure World Foundation (SWF) earlier this month. According to the organization, the main issue is Ukraine’s use of SpaceX technology, as the country relies on the satellites as its primary source of internet access during its conflict with Russia.
In addition to providing connectivity for civilians, Starlink satellites are also being used by the military. However, several instances of signal loss have been reported since last year, which is impacting Ukrainian troop operations.
According to the document, the disruptions may be attributed to Russia, which allegedly has “various mechanisms” to interfere with Starlink satellites operating above Ukrainian territory, and other countries may also be affected.
The main tool, according to the report, is the Tobol system, which was originally created to protect Russian satellites and is now reportedly being used for a different purpose. Moscow is also said to be using the Kalinka system, which can detect and interfere with Starlink signals, complicating Ukrainian drone operations.
The SWF report also revealed that China is investing in similar technologies. According to the organization, China uses submarines with retractable masts equipped with lasers that are then used to shoot interference signals into Earth’s orbit.
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