Chokepoints and the cost of cutting off access
In 2022, Ukraine asked SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to activate Starlink coverage around Sevastopol to support an attack on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. He refused, saying SpaceX would become “explicitly complicit in a major act of war”; he later also cited US sanctions covering Crimea. At the moment that mattered, one private actor had the final say. It exposed a question hidden inside every chokepoint. We…
The article "Chokepoints and the cost of cutting off access" discusses the concept of chokepoints and their implications, using Ukraine, China, and the Strait of Hormuz as examples. In 2022, Ukraine sought SpaceX's Starlink coverage around Sevastopol to support an attack on Russia's Black Sea Fleet, but SpaceX refused, citing US sanctions.
This incident highlighted the second question of chokepoints: what someone must risk before leverage becomes action. The article also explores how China's vulnerability at the Strait of Malacca led to a "Malacca dilemma" and how it has influenced Beijing's naval build-up. Furthermore, the article emphasizes the broader consequences of closing a major strait, as it impacts importers, exporters, insurers, allies, and neutral economies.
Geographical factors contribute to the leverage of chokepoints, as using them can impose significant costs on all parties involved.
Brief written by urgent.news from SCMP Tech's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
