Two Ukrainians handed life imprisonment for allegedly helping Russia access Starlink

Two Ukrainian citizens have been handed life imprisonment for allegedly assisting the Russian military in accessing SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service, it emerged on Wednesday.

The allegation comes as Ukraine is purportedly increasing efforts to block Russian forces from using unregistered Starlink dishes within its borders.

Earlier this month, Ukraine activated a “whitelist” to prevent Russian soldiers from using unregistered Starlink dishes. In response, Russian operatives allegedly recruited Ukrainians to register these dishes and hand them over.

The Security Service of Ukraine announced the detention of two unemployed men, aged 36 and 28, who agreed to register Starlink dishes for the Russian military in exchange for a mere $30 per dish.

Authorities found out that the suspects attempted to involve others in this scheme to increase their earnings.

According to Ukrainian officials, evidence was obtained from mobile phones seized during the arrests. The devices contained communications with Russian contacts detailing how to register Starlink equipment on Ukraine's whitelist.

The individuals have been charged with high treason, which carries a potential life sentence.

The development comes while Starlink has been serving as a critical resource for Ukrainian forces, with Russian soldiers also connecting through black-market satellite dishes.

Reports have shown that Russian troops have smuggled Starlink hardware to maintain communication and even outfitted drones with Starlink dishes for remote attacks.

Responding to these threats, Ukraine and SpaceX have enforced stricter registration measures to successfully disrupt Russian communication capabilities and improve Ukraine's defense.