US EditionUkraine Raises Concerns with SpaceX over Russian Use of Starlink
Ukraine reported dozens of Russian drone strikes using Starlink to control attacks and SpaceX confirmed early success in limiting unauthorized use, officials said.
- On Feb. 1, Ukraine's Defense Ministry contacted SpaceX to urge blocking Russian drones using Starlink, with Mykhailo Fedorov and Elon Musk saying early measures showed real results.
- Russian forces concentrated their efforts on Starlink-connected drones, producing dozens of strikes on logistics routes in Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa and Zaporizhzhia, including one attack on a civilian bus with no fatalities on January 30.
- Ukraine depends significantly on Starlink as frontline Ukrainian commanders rely on it over traditional radio, and Kyiv has received over 50,000 Starlink terminals since 2022.
- Officials say they are keeping tactical details confidential as Fedorov oversees coordination with Musk's team, with Beskrestnov describing actions as temporary on Jan. 31.
- Past disputes over access and policy mean Ukraine's reliance on Starlink was complicated by tensions with Musk, and SpaceX said in 2024 it does not sell terminals to Russia.
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Ukraine's defense minister thanked Elon Musk on Sunday after the US tycoon said efforts to prevent Russia from using Starlink satellites for drone attacks appeared to be working.
The American company SpaceX has started blocking its system from being used by Russian drones. The company did this after footage emerged of Russian BM-35 drones equipped with Starlink receivers. The Ukrainian military asked Elon Musk to take action.
The satellite-powered Starlink system enables fast Internet connections even in remote areas. For the Ukrainian army it is vitally important to survive. But Russia also buys terminals and uses them for attacks. Now, according to Kiev, the company takes action against them.
To finally fix the problem, you need to create a database of users of Elon Musk's satellite communications in the Defense Forces.
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