Fresh steps taken to block Russia’s use of Starlink appear to be working, according to Elon Musk, as Ukraine moves to tighten controls on who can access the satellite network.
On Sunday, the SpaceX chief said actions taken by his company to prevent “unauthorized” use of Starlink by Russia had been effective. Ukraine’s defence leadership also confirmed efforts are underway to stop any future access by Moscow.
Ukraine’s military depends on tens of thousands of Starlink satellite connections for battlefield communications and for operating some drone missions. However, officials said this week that Starlink terminals had been found on long-range drones used in Russian attacks.
Ukraine said it is working closely with SpaceX to prevent Russia from guiding drones through the Starlink system. Musk wrote on X, “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.”
In a separate statement on Sunday, Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said Kyiv was developing a system that would limit Starlink access to approved devices only. “Ukraine, together with @Starlink, has already taken the first steps that delivered rapid results in countering Russian drones,” he posted on X. “The next step is implementing a system that will allow only authorized terminals to operate on the territory of Ukraine.”
Earlier, in a social media post in February 2024, SpaceX said it does not sell or ship Starlink equipment to Russia and “does not do business of any kind with the Russian Government or its military”.
Starlink service was first activated over Ukraine in 2022 after Kyiv appealed for urgent support in the early days following Russia’s full-scale invasion. Since then, the satellite network has become a critical tool for Ukraine’s military operations.
The latest developments highlight growing efforts to prevent the misuse of commercial satellite technology in conflict zones and to ensure that access is limited to authorised users only.
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