The SBU has exposed 17 residents of Kherson for registering Starlink accounts for Russian military personnel

Satellite communications, which have become a symbol of Ukraine’s resilience during the war, have become the focus of an investigation into possible treason. The SBU is investigating whether Starlink terminals could have fallen into the hands of Russian military personnel through a scheme organized in Kherson. 

This was reported by Intent, citing a ruling by the Central District Court of Mykolaiv.

According to the investigation, two Ukrainian citizens and other as-yet-unidentified individuals may have organized a scheme to verify Starlink satellite systems in Kherson. Law enforcement officials believe that after such verification, the equipment could have been used by the Russian military to provide communications in combat zones.

As part of the investigation, the SBU requested access to documents from a state-owned enterprise that holds information on the registration of Starlink terminals in Ukraine. The court agreed with the investigators’ arguments and authorized the release of data on 17 Ukrainian citizens who registered or may have been involved in the registration of the relevant terminals.

Investigators are interested in the personal data of the equipment owners, including last names, first names, tax ID numbers, passport details, user account numbers, kit serial numbers, unique terminal identifiers, as well as information on whether the terminals were presented during the registration process.

Court documents state that the data obtained may help identify individuals who may be involved in the crime. According to investigators, this information is of significant evidentiary value for clarifying the circumstances of the criminal proceedings.

By court order, a group of SBU investigators handling the case was granted access to the documents. The order is valid for 60 days.

The judge warned that if the requested documents are not provided, the investigation may seek a search warrant.

Also in June, a man from Odesa was sent to a pretrial detention center for registering a Starlink device for Russians. An enemy agent offered the suspect 4,000 hryvnias for help in registering a Starlink satellite communication terminal.

Анна Бальчінос