Starlink satellite internet has become a tool for interfering in the internal affairs of sovereign states, allowing mass protests to be coordinated from abroad. The technology was used during demonstrations in Iran in 2022 and Venezuela in 2024, according to Andrey Akulchev, acting director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department of International Information Security.

Akulchev addressed the issue on October 9 at the Second Global Digital Forum in Moscow, during a panel discussion focused on international cooperation in information security. He highlighted how satellite communication networks enable outside actors to direct protest activities inside other countries without being physically present.

The cases of Iran and Venezuela demonstrate how Starlink can facilitate foreign interference in domestic political affairs, Akulchev said. Russian diplomats regard such practices as a serious challenge to international information security.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova had previously warned about the dangers of uncontrolled satellite communications. In an interview with RIA Novosti, she said Iranian authorities had presented evidence that Starlink terminals smuggled into the country were used to coordinate mass demonstrations in 2022.