Ukraine has regained significant territory after blocking Starlink for Russian forces – US intelligence
Ukraine has regained around 400 sq km of territory during a counteroffensive earlier this year after thousands of portable Starlink internet terminals became unavailable to Russian forces.
Source: Bloomberg, citing a report by the US Defense Intelligence Agency
Details: The counteroffensive marked Kyiv's first territorial gains since 2023 and became possible because Russia's military capabilities were "temporarily yet significantly degraded" after the terminals were disabled, according to the latest US assistance assessment prepared for the US Congress.
Russian troops had been using Starlink terminals – created and operated by Elon Musk's company SpaceX – "to coordinate movements" and drone strikes, the agency said in the report compiled by the Pentagon Inspector General.
"Russian military capabilities in Ukraine were temporarily yet significantly degraded following Ukrainian officials' efforts in February to deactivate thousands of Starlink terminals that were illicitly used by Russian forces to coordinate movements and unmanned aircraft strikes in areas where communications were unreliable or easily jammed," the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and US European Command stated.
Russian troops in Ukraine were also hit by a second communications setback after the Kremlin imposed restrictions on the Telegram messaging platform, a move that angered Russian soldiers who had relied on the app for battlefield communications.
Bloomberg noted that the DIA's conclusions regarding Starlink highlight the importance of the terminals in the war, now in its fifth year. However, the agency added that "as of March, the Russian military maintained an overall advantage over" the Ukrainian Armed Forces "across most warfighting functions".
Previously: Ukraine's Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov believes the disabling of Starlink for Russian forces and the use of middle-range strike drones have been important factors that have helped slow the advance of the Russians.
Fedorov also said the Defence Ministry will focus in the coming months on changes to military recruitment, service, procurement and the provision of drones to brigades.
Background:
- On 25 January, Military radio technology expert Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov, who has been appointed as technology adviser to Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, stated that Russian forces were likely using Starlink satellite internet to operate Shahed loitering munitions.
- Elon Musk responded to Fedorov's request for help in addressing the use of Starlink to operate Russian strike UAVs.
- Fedorov announced that a system is being gradually rolled out that will ensure that only authorised Starlink terminals work on the territory of Ukraine.
- Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers adopted a resolution to introduce a "white list" for Starlink satellite terminals. Soon, only verified and registered terminals will work in Ukraine; all others will be disconnected.
- In February, reports said Russian forces had reduced the number of assaults along the line of contact after Ukraine and SpaceX agreed to block unregistered Starlink satellite internet terminals.
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