Elon Musk announced on Sunday that SpaceX measures to stop Russia’s unauthorized use of Starlink satellite internet have worked. “Looks like the steps we took to stop the unauthorized use of Starlink by Russia have worked. Let us know if more needs to be done,” Musk wrote on X. The action followed Ukrainian warnings about Russian drones using Starlink terminals to evade electronic-warfare countermeasures and strike targets with precision.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov confirmed on February 1 that the initial countermeasures delivered “real results.” Fedorov thanked Musk, calling him “a true champion of freedom and a true friend of the Ukrainian people.” The ministry contacted SpaceX on January 29, hours after detecting Russian drones using Starlink connectivity over Ukrainian cities. Officials proposed technical solutions, and SpaceX responded quickly.
Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to Fedorov on technology, stated he could not disclose specific countermeasures publicly. The measures protect military and civilian infrastructure from attack drones. “I apologize again to those temporarily affected by the measures, but these are very important and necessary actions for the country’s security,” Beskrestnov said. He described the steps as temporary, to be replaced by a global solution.
Ukrainian officials found Starlink terminals on wreckage from downed Russian drones in late January, including Shahed, Molniya-2, and BM-35 models. Beskrestnov reported evidence of “hundreds” of attacks with Starlink-equipped drones targeting civilian areas. Starlink allowed operators to bypass Ukraine’s GPS and radio-signal jamming.
On January 27, a Starlink-enabled Shahed drone attacked a passenger train in Kharkiv Oblast. The BM-35 drone can travel up to 500 km. SpaceX implemented speed restrictions that disable terminals on drones moving faster than about 90 km/h. This affects fixed-wing drones but permits slower quadcopter-style drones to operate.
Ukraine’s military depends on more than 50,000 Starlink terminals for battlefield communication and drone operations. Blocking Russian access while preserving Ukrainian use presents a technical challenge.
