After Military Aid, US Govt Disables Ukraine’s Access to Satellite Image- wna24
Washington: US aerospace firm Maxar Technologies has disabled Ukrainian users’ access to satellite imagery on a US government platform. This move comes as part of the Trump administration’s decision to suspend intelligence sharing with Kyiv.
US Govt Suspends Intelligence Sharing With Ukraine
Maxar Technologies, a leading provider of commercial satellite imagery, stated that it has contracts with the U.S. government and numerous allied and partner nations. The company emphasised that each customer makes their own decisions on how they use and share the data provided. The specific contract in question is the Global Enhanced GEOINT Delivery (GEGD) program, a U.S. government initiative that offers access to commercial satellite imagery collected by the United States.
“The U.S. government has decided to temporarily suspend Ukrainian accounts in GEGD,” Maxar said in a statement. The company referred further inquiries to the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), which confirmed the action. “In accordance with the administration’s directive on support to Ukraine, NGA has temporarily suspended access to the Global Enhanced GEOINT Delivery system, or GEGD, which is the primary portal for access to U.S. government-purchased commercial imagery,” a spokesperson for the agency said.
Impact and Response
Maxar’s decision to disable Ukrainian access to satellite imagery comes right after US government’s decision to suspends intelligence sharing with Kyiv. The company reiterated its commitment to its contractual obligations, stating, “We take our contractual commitments very seriously, and there is no change to other Maxar customer programs.”
John Ratcliffe, director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), confirmed on Wednesday that Washington had halted intelligence-sharing with Ukraine. This move is intended to encourage Kyiv to cooperate with the Trump administration in convening peace negotiations with Russia.
The suspension of intelligence sharing and satellite imagery access will directly impact Ukraine’s ability to counter Russian army.
The suspension of intelligence sharing and satellite imagery access is part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration to peruse Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to engage in peace talks with Russia.