Fresh batch of Starlink satellites launched after Russian threat

The 53 Starlink satellites launched into low-Earth orbit Thursday from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The launches come after a senior U.S. official confirmed less than two weeks ago that billionaire Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, asked the government to pay for his Starlink satellites’ services to Ukraine, which include providing internet for crucial Ukrainian battlefield communications. Musk tweeted the next day: “... even though Starlink is still losing money & other companies are getting billions of taxpayer $, we’ll just keep funding Ukraine govt for free.”

What will Russia's response be? Russian media outlet TASS quoted Konstantin Vorontsov, a deputy director of the Russian Foreign Ministry, as saying that Russia might be able to legitimately target commercial satellites being used to assist Ukrainian forces. The United States has warned that Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure will receive an appropriate response.

Dig deeper: Read Jill Nelson’s report in WORLD magazine about the quest to hold Russia accountable for war crimes committed in Ukraine.