Leaked Documents Reveal Russia and China Plans to Neutralize Starlink
Classified documents from military forums show Russia and China are jointly developing methods to destroy SpaceX's Starlink network and expanding weapons cooperation.
Documents leaked from several secret Russian and Chinese military forums reveal a joint plan to neutralize Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet network, as well as much closer cooperation in weapons development than either country admits. The investigation was conducted by The Insider, Der Spiegel, and Le Monde.
According to the documents, Moscow and Beijing's collaboration covers air and missile defense systems, as well as AI-enhanced drone technologies. This partnership allows Russian forces to keep pace with Ukrainian innovations, while China gets the opportunity to test its technologies in combat conditions.
Although the risk of stricter Western sanctions continues to limit the so-called unlimited partnership, Russia and China are pursuing several joint projects. Former U.S. military officers have expressed concerns about whether Washington has the political will to stop these initiatives.
By fall 2023, Starlink had become a primary communication tool on the Ukrainian battlefield. Medics used terminals to coordinate evacuations, artillery crews to adjust fire, and drone operators to control drones in real time. Ukrainian Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said in September that Starlink was "the lifeblood of our communications infrastructure." By November, SpaceX had delivered over 40,000 terminals to Ukraine, and U.S. officials described the system as indispensable.
That same November, a secret meeting was held in Guangzhou, southern China, bringing together engineers from China's leading space and defense institutions. One agenda item was how to destroy Starlink, one of the most valuable assets in Elon Musk's business empire.
