MILITARIZATION OF CIVILIAN SATELLITE INTERNET: STARLINK AND THE SHIFTING STRATEGIC PARADIGM IN THE WAR IN UKRAINE

This article provides a strategic and analytical examination of the militarization of civilian satellite internet in the context of the Russia-Ukraine war, using the Starlink system as a case study. Against the backdrop of the vulnerability of traditional military communications systems to cyber and kinetic threats, the study explores the paradigm shift created by Low Earth Orbit (LEO)-based systems within the operational theatre. The methodological framework is grounded in the concepts of Network-Centric Warfare (NCW) and the OODA loop (Observe-Orient-Decide-Act). The analysis indicates that the adoption of Starlink strengthened the Ukrainian military’s Command and Control (C2) architecture, accelerated the “sensor-to-shooter” chain, and demonstrated high resilience against Electronic Warfare (EW) capabilities. At the same time, the article assesses the geopolitical risks arising from the military use of dual-use infrastructures, the influence of private actors on issues of sovereignty, and the “grey zone” challenges within international humanitarian law. Ultimately, it argues that civilian space infrastructure in modern warfare is not merely a technological resource but also a strategic power factor that changes operational tempo.