Ukraine Deactivates Starlink Terminals Used by Russian Forces

Impact of Starlink Terminal Deactivation

By Tom Balmforth

Details of the Deactivation

KYIV, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Starlink internet terminals used by Russian troops in Ukraine have been deactivated, Kyiv said on Thursday, dealing what one official said was a big battlefield setback for Moscow that had disrupted assault operations.

Reactions from Ukrainian Officials

Russian forces have made unauthorised use of thousands of satellite-based Starlink internet connections for secure communications after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Kyiv says.

Challenges for Russian Forces

Reuters was not able to verify the scale of disruption to the system but three Ukrainian sources said it appeared to be significant.

Ukraine said last week it was working with Elon Musk's SpaceX to block the use of Starlink terminals used on Russian attack drones and was trying to compile a "white list" of all Ukraine's terminals so the Russian ones could be turned off.

"Starlinks included in the 'white list' are working — Russian terminals have already been blocked," Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who took office last month, wrote on Telegram, adding that the list was still being updated.

SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Musk said on Sunday that moves by SpaceX to stop the unauthorised use of Starlink by Russia seemed to have worked.

A Russian military blog, "Two Majors", said there had been a big failure of Starlink terminals on the Russian side that started on Wednesday evening.

'ASSAULT OPERATIONS HAVE BEEN STOPPED'

A Ukrainian military source near the war front said Starlink terminals used by Russia were down and that units were trying to use Russian-made satellite-based RS-30M terminals.

"It still takes more time to fully assess the impact. But I am sure that the accuracy and number of hits (from attacks) are decreasing," the source said.

Serhiy Beskrestnov, an adviser to the defence minister, described the situation as a catastrophe for Russia's military.

"All command of the troops has collapsed. Assault operations have been stopped in many areas," he wrote on Telegram.

A source in the Ukrainian army on the eastern front told Reuters that Russian troops were experiencing significant problems with communication and almost all connection via Starlink was off.

Such a setback for Russia would be a notable achievement for Fedorov, who became defence minister last month. As digital minister in 2022, he persuaded Musk to turn on Starlink coverage for Ukraine and provide terminals following Russia's invasion.

Kyiv's military uses tens of thousands of satellite-based Starlink internet connections for battlefield communication and piloting some attack drones.

It is unclear how many terminals Russia operates on the battlefield. Ukraine's former military spy chief said in early 2024 the figure was in the thousands although Starlink has said it does not do business in or with Russia.

Ukraine said last week it had found Starlink terminals on long-range drones used in Russian attacks, which prompted Ukrainian authorities to appeal to SpaceX for assistance.

Russia has been making slow advances on the battlefield in Ukraine since late 2023 and the two sides have been holding talks brokered by the United States on ending the war.

(Additional reporting by Yuliia Dysa and Anna Pruchnicka; Editing by Daniel Flynn and Timothy Heritage)