Russian pro-war bloggers and military correspondents are reporting en masse that Starlink service is down along the entire front line. At the same time, the Ukrainian military reports that there are no problems on their side and that the terminals are functioning normally.
Earlier, Elon Musk stated that SpaceX had successfully prevented the Russian military from “unauthorized use” of his company’s Starlink satellite system to attack Ukraine.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov also noted that Ukraine, in collaboration with Elon Musk’s SpaceX, had found a way to “jam” illegal Russian Starlink devices.
According to Fedorov, Elon Musk responded quickly after receiving information that Russian drones connected to Starlink were operating in Ukraine. These drones are linked to a series of recent attacks by the Russian Federation, including a strike on a passenger train in the Kharkiv region that killed six people.
Musk said on social media that steps to stop Russia’s unauthorized use of Starlink had worked and offered to provide further guidance if needed.
According to the BBC, the Institute for the Study of War reported that after equipping cheap Molniya-2 kamikaze drones with Starlink terminals, their effectiveness on the battlefield increased significantly. Fedorov noted that such drones are difficult to shoot down due to their low flight altitude, the inability to counter them with electronic warfare, and real-time remote control.
Russian military bloggers warned that the restrictions could affect more than just the use of drones, as Starlink is used by the Russian military to provide internet access to units on the front lines.