"Users of Starlink satellite internet service in Ukraine have observed the initial countermeasures SpaceX implemented at the request of Ukraine's Ministry of Defense," stated Serhiy Beskrestnov, an electronic warfare expert and advisor to Ukraine's Defense Minister, on 31/1.
Beskrestnov declined to publicly disclose the specific measures already taken or those planned for future deployment. The Ukrainian official mentioned that SpaceX is implementing "temporary emergency measures," which will eventually be replaced by a more comprehensive and carefully designed system, but acknowledged this "will take time."
BM-35 unmanned aerial vehicle attacks targets in Poltava province in a video released on 30/1. Video: RusVesna
"It is time to collect comprehensive information on how the Ukrainian military uses SpaceX's services. This effort is underway, but many soldiers are hesitant to report on the Starlink terminals they possess or received from volunteers, fearing confiscation or for other reasons," Beskrestnov said.
The actual effectiveness of the measures SpaceX is applying remains unclear.
According to military news sites linked to the Russian army, SpaceX has imposed restrictions on the speed of vehicles equipped with Starlink transceivers operating in Ukraine. If a vehicle moves faster than 90 km/h, the satellite connection will be disconnected. However, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) moving below this speed can still use Starlink.
"Starlink must directly determine the coordinates and speed of the vehicle through its satellite system, but the development team believes it will find new solutions over time," the RusVesna news site reported.
The current restriction also affects equipment used by the Ukrainian military, including transceivers installed on UAVs and unmanned surface vessels. Starlink cannot immediately identify which accounts Russia is using to control UAVs.
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Wreckage of a Russian unmanned aerial vehicle with a Starlink terminal, shown in an image released on 29/1. Photo: United24
Ukraine's Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov stated on 29/1 that the country has cooperated with SpaceX to prevent Russian forces from using the Starlink system. Billionaire Elon Musk, SpaceX's owner, later responded, "very happy to help."
Ukraine relies heavily on Starlink due to significant damage to its telecommunications infrastructure during the conflict. It is used for both civilian and military purposes, playing a crucial role in ensuring communication among Ukrainian units and supporting the control of unmanned equipment over long distances.
The US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that Russia had previously equipped Geran and Molniya-2 suicide UAVs with Starlink transceivers from 9/2024 and 12/2025, respectively, and more recently, the BM-35 model with a range of 500 km. Starlink connectivity helps Russian UAVs maintain better communication with operators and makes them harder for Ukraine to jam.
BM-35s equipped with Starlink attacked multiple targets deep behind Ukrainian lines last week. These included two Su-27 heavy fighter jets and two F-16 training models. They also conducted reconnaissance flights over Kiev for several hours on 26/1 without being shot down.
Nguyen Tien (According to Reuters, RBC Ukraine, AFP)
