US EditionStarlink used by Russian forces deactivated on battlefield, Ukraine says
SpaceX and Ukraine blocked unauthorized Russian Starlink terminals, disrupting drone strikes and frontline communication; Ukrainian officials report a collapse in Russian command.
- On Feb 5, 2026, Ukraine said Starlink internet terminals used by Russian forces were deactivated, causing mass connectivity losses along the front line as Elon Musk retweeted Ukraine's registration guide.
- After finding Starlink on strike drones including BM-35 and BM-36, SpaceX and Kyiv began technical measures in late January to cut off Russian forces using terminals acquired via third countries and grey markets.
- Advisers reported that the loss caused a collapse of Russian frontline command-and-control, halting assault operations, and that some soldiers experienced problems with private Starlink lists, ongoing verification said Beskrestnov.
- Mykhailo Fedorov said Ukraine will share registration instructions for Starlink verification, and all unverified terminals will be disconnected, with SpaceX cooperating on the whitelist process.
- Given Ukraine's heavy reliance on Starlink, SpaceX imposed a 75 kilometres per hour speed limit, and Mr Musk said earlier this week that these moves to stop unauthorised Russian use seemed to have worked.
109 Articles
109 Articles
Russia was never supposed to have Starlink, so why did SpaceX wait so long to cut it off?
On February 4, pro-war military bloggers reported that Russia’s frontline troops had lost access to Starlink satellite Internet. While Ukrainian forces have had official access to Starlink since the start of the full-scale invasion, many Russian units have relied on contraband devices as a key element of their battlefield communications. Until now, Elon Musk’s SpaceX has appeared willing to turn a blind eye to Russia’s unauthorized use of Starlin
Russian President Vladimir Putin's troops have opened fire on each other after Ukrainian officials forced Elon Musk to disable the Starlink terminals they were using. Communications on Russia's battlefield are said to be in "chaos." The loss of satellite-based internet connectivity has "caused deadly incidents" on the Russian side. Russian communications specialists are desperate - attempts to set up backup communication channels are failing one…
der Standard AT
der Standard DEMusk’s Starlink Blocks Russian Troops’ Internet Access at Ukraine’s Request
It’s unclear what effect the change will have on Russia’s ability to wage war, but Russian military bloggers said troops were experiencing internet outages that hampered frontline communications
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