Russia is equipping attack drones with Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite system to strike deep into Ukraine, extending its potential range into NATO territory, analysts and Ukrainian officials said.
Serhiy Beskhrestnov, a military technical expert and adviser to Ukraine’s defense ministry, said Thursday that Ukraine had collected evidence of “hundreds” of attacks by Russian drones equipped with Starlink terminals.
“(The attack) is not on military targets, but on peaceful backward and frontline cities, including residential buildings. In fact, this is terrorism using modern peace communication technology,” he said.
Adding Starlink would allow the Russian government to bypass Ukraine’s electronic defenses, which disable drones by jamming their GPS and radio signals.
Russia has previously circumvented these signal blockers by using drones controlled by fiber-optic cables. However, they cannot be disabled electronically, but their range is limited by the length of the cable.
Starlink-powered drones have longer range and are less susceptible to interference than radio- or cable-guided drones. The ultra-fast connection also allows for real-time control from within Russia, allowing for more precise control.
CNN reached out to Starlink for comment but did not receive a response. Due to US sanctions, Starlink cannot be sold or used in Russia.
Other Russian drones and missiles can cover longer ranges, but are much more expensive, larger, and easier to detect and shoot down. Simple drones powered by Starlink Mini (priced between $250 and $500) are much cheaper and more effective than more advanced models costing tens of thousands of dollars.
Beskhrestnov, better known in drone technology circles as Flash, shared photos of a BM-35 drone attack in Dnipropetrovsk and said Starlink-equipped drones can fly distances of up to 500 kilometers (310 miles).
He also said Tuesday’s deadly attack on a civilian train in eastern Ukraine was likely carried out by a Shahed drone equipped with a mesh radio modem or perhaps Starlink, given that it was able to penetrate electronic defenses and was guided by the pilot to attack the middle of the moving train.
Earlier this month, Flash told Ukrainian public broadcaster Sashpirne that a swarm of Starlink-equipped Molnya drones was recently used to attack Ukrainian energy facilities in the Chernihiv region. The Molniya drone is a very simple and inexpensive machine made of plywood that can fly dozens of miles.
He said that thanks to Starlink technology, one in three drones was able to hit a target. “It is impossible to suppress (them) with electronic warfare. They can only be physically shot down if anti-aircraft drones detect and shoot them down,” he said.
He said on Thursday more Starlink-equipped Molniya drones were used overnight near Pavlovrad, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the front line.
Ukraine’s recently appointed Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who was previously responsible for drone development and procurement as Minister of Science, Technology and Digital Transformation, said Ukraine needs to respond “very quickly” to Starlink’s development.
“Our adversaries are constantly refining their drones and attack tactics to achieve their goals. New risks emerge every day,” he said, adding that Russia launched more than 6,000 drones last month alone. This is slightly higher than in December and November, but more than double the number recorded during the same period last year.
Fedorov said Thursday that his ministry had contacted SpaceX, Musk’s company that owns Starlink, with suggestions on how to prevent Russia from using the technology.
“I am personally grateful to SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell and Elon Musk for their quick response and efforts to resolve the situation,” he said.
Ukraine has become heavily dependent on Starlink since the war began. The system is used by the military to communicate and operate drones, as well as by governments and many civilians, businesses, and public institutions such as hospitals and schools.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a US-based conflict watchdog, said that based on its reported range of 500 kilometers, if a Starlink-equipped BM-35 drone were launched from Russia or occupied Ukraine, “much of Ukraine, all of Moldova, parts of Poland, Romania, and Lithuania” would be within range.
Ukraine sanctions commissioner Vladislav Vlasiuk said earlier this week that Russia’s increased use of Starlink shows that the sanctions pressure Ukraine’s allies are putting on Russia is “insufficient.”
CNN previously reported that the Russian military is circumventing sanctions by purchasing Starlink systems in third countries and using them on the front lines. At the time, Starlink said it would disable devices found to be used by sanctioned or unauthorized parties.
Musk himself responded to criticism that his technology was being used by Russia when asked by Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski earlier this week, “Why aren’t you stopping Russia from using Starlink to target Ukrainian cities?”
Musk responded by calling Sikorsky a “slobbering idiot” and saying Starlink is “the backbone of Ukraine’s military communications.” He did not address the issue of Russia’s use of the system.
