Ukraine's drone strikes depend heavily on US tech like Starlink that it doesn't control. Its officers are worried.
Ukraine's military success with drone strikes is increasingly dependent on US-controlled technologies like Starlink and Palantir AI. Ukrainian officials are concerned that their operational edge could be compromised by shifts in corporate or political policy.
Why it matters
The reliance on private US tech companies for critical military operations raises questions about the sovereignty of nations in modern, tech-enabled warfare.
A Ukrainian service member uses a Starlink-connected tablet to communicate with fellow soldiers and pilot a drone. Heidi Levine for The Washington Post via Getty Images Ukraine's drone campaigns increasingly rely on US technology that it does not fully control. Starlink, AI technologies from Palantir, and US-made Hornet drones play roles in its strikes. Ukrainian officers worry political or corporate decisions could suddenly weaken that edge. Long-range Ukrainian strike drones have brought Russian President Vladimir Putin's war home and are increasingly affecting the everyday lives of millions of his own people. In Moscow, cars line up for hundreds of meters at gas stations as fuel has become scarce . In illegally annexed Crimea, electricity disruptions have left residents without power for days.
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