Ukraine's Ministry of Defense has launched a joint initiative with SpaceX to block access to Starlink satellite connectivity for Russian drones. Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced the move.
According to the minister, his team contacted the U.S. company just hours after spotting enemy drones equipped with Starlink terminals flying over Ukrainian cities.
"The Defense Ministry and SpaceX are already resolving the issue of Starlink usage on Russian UAVs. I am grateful to SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell and Elon Musk personally for their swift reaction and for beginning work to resolve the situation," Fedorov emphasized.
The minister also recalled that Musk's decision to provide Ukraine with terminals at the onset of the full-scale invasion was critical for the state's resilience. He stressed that Western technology must protect civilians, not serve as a tool for terror.
Defense Ministry advisor Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov disclosed the technical details regarding the threat, explaining that traditional electronic warfare (EW) methods are ineffective against these terminals.
"The complexity of this process lies in the fact that Starlink cannot be suppressed by EW assets, nor can its position be detected in flight by electronic reconnaissance equipment. Therefore, we realized from the start that the primary solution would be organizational," Beskrestnov noted.
The military specialist added that hundreds of attacks by such drones on peaceful cities and residential buildings have already been recorded, calling it an act of terrorism utilizing civilian technology. Both a rapid temporary fix and a systemic counter-algorithm are currently being prepared.
Ukrainian experts have been tracking the issue of Starlink usage on Russian drones for several weeks. according to Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov, the mass deployment of Starlink terminals on long-range enemy UAVs became apparent roughly ten days ago. Initially, the terminals were spotted on "Molniya" type drones—at first, the Starlink Mini was simply "taped on," but the latest models feature terminals organically integrated into the airframe.
The expert has repeatedly warned of the threat of Starlink appearing on Shahed attack drones, estimating it was a matter of "days, not months." Drones with this type of connectivity are impervious to EW interference and can strike targets precisely under operator control from Russian territory. Furthermore, the Russians are constantly upgrading their Shaheds, installing cameras, mesh modems to create airborne relay networks, and even onboard MANPADS.
