Starlink CEO Elon Musk warned the Ukrainian government and its citizens that using Starlink satellites to stay connected to the internet could make them prime targets for Russian missile strikes.
Having failed in their initial attempts at rapid attacks, the Russian attackers are now turning to a more durable military operation, which means destroying key Ukrainian infrastructure.
Attempting to disable access to communications in Ukraine, Russian troops attacked a Kyiv TV tower with missiles. Now, the internet network has the potential to become the next attack target.
"Important warning: Starlink is the only non-Russian communication system still functioning in parts of Ukraine, so it is highly likely to be targeted. Please use it with caution," Elon Musk tweeted.
A few days after the invasion, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, took to Twitter to ask Elon Musk to help activate Starlink satellite internet in the country. Musk responded immediately. But later, this internet access became known to the Russian side and could be dangerous.
When asked how Ukrainians can use the internet with caution, Musk asked to only turn on Starlink when needed.
"Place the antenna as far as possible from people's view. Place a light camouflage above the antenna to avoid visual detection," he added as quoted by Tech Crunch.
The user can also camouflage the antennae by spraying an inconspicuous color, but make sure the spray paint does not contain metal particles.
Fedorov said the Russian army was using heat scanners to target critical Ukrainian infrastructure, and he sought advice from Musk. The SpaceX founder suggested Stralink users could combine the dish with a solar panel and battery pack to make the heat generated less visible to scanners.
On the other hand, the Russo-Ukrainian conflict inspired Starlink to update its devices with new innovations based on this need. Musk said his team is working on a software update to enable Starlink to be powered from the car's cigarette lighter, and that mobile roaming dishes are promised to be available soon.