Starlink, the satellite high-speed broadband service operated by SpaceX, faces hacking and threats of signal tracing after terminals were sent to Ukraine amid the ongoing Russian invasion.

Elon Musk is undoubtedly a divisive figure, and his responses to events during the invasion of Ukraine perfectly illustrate that. When he's not saying that he'll eat irradiated crops to prove the threat of radiation is less prominent than anyone thinks, he's quickly mobilizing the delivery of Starlink terminals to Ukraine.

Russia's invasion has been particularly brutal on Ukraine despite the fierce resistance of the country's army and militia forces, with increasing use of indiscriminate bombardment by artillery and aircraft as of late. This tactic will likely see increasing use as Ukraine's resistance wears down Russia's forces, prompting fears over widespread infrastructure damage, including communications equipment. Areas facing particularly

Musk's move could help alleviate the difficulty of communicating that Ukrainians in areas of heavy fighting, such as Kharkiv and Mariupol, continue to experience as the conflict drags on. The high-speed internet terminals could provide access for use by Ukraine's government and besieged civilians but are also catching the attention of Russia.

Not soon after Starlink's deployment to Ukraine, jammed signals were reported by SpaceX, with hours-long signal blackouts. In addition, experts and Musk himself also began to caution Ukrainian users that the signals from their terminals could be used to guide bombs.

Using satellites to target smart munitions isn't a new tactic for the Russian Federation; in fact, it's pretty old, with the notable example of Chechen President Dzhokhar Dudayev, who was assassinated in 1996 after the Russian military followed the signal from his satellite phone. While Russia has yet to secure uncontested air supremacy over Ukraine and the latter's air defenses still operate in some capacity, the Russian air force continues to bomb cities with impunity. Given the apparent indiscriminate attacks on Ukrainian civilians, concerns of Russian forces using Starlink signals to target bombs aren't entirely unfounded.

Musk has tweeted advice to users, including limiting the use of the terminals, placing them far from people, and camouflaging them. While the risk of tracing may remain to some degree, Musk has also stated that SpaceX is "[prioritizing] cyber defense & overcoming signal jamming," meaning that Starlink could be insulated against Russian interference soon.