Elon Musk's efforts to stop Russia from using Starlink satellites for drone attacks have delivered real results, a Ukrainian official said.
Praising the SpaceX founder as a true champion of freedom and a true friend of the Ukrainian people, defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov said Musk had swiftly responded when he was told Russian drones with Starlink connectivity were operating in the country.
The drones have been linked to a number of recent deadly attacks by Russia on Ukraine, including one on a moving passenger train which left six people dead.
Looks like the steps we took to stop the unauthorised use of Starlink by Russia have worked, Musk wrote on X. Let us know if more needs to be done.
Starlink satellites operated by SpaceX provide high-speed internet around the world. It has worked in Ukraine since the first days of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
The Russian drones are difficult to shoot down, Fedorov said, as they fly at low altitudes and cannot be countered with electronic warfare, being controlled in real-time from a distance.
The Institute for the Study of War warned in mid-January that since Russia began equipping the cheap kamikaze Molniya-2 drones with Starlink, their battlefield efficiency had increased dramatically.
While neither Fedorov nor Musk elaborated on the response, the defence ministry's official website ArmiyaInform reported that SpaceX had introduced a speed limit of 75kph on Starlink terminals moving over Ukraine.
Russian drones move much more quickly, so the enemy operators will not be able to control them in real time, the website stated.
On Monday, Fedorov said the Ukrainian government was preparing to implement a whitelist of approved Starlink satellite terminals which could operate in Ukraine. All unregistered terminals will be disconnected, he added.
We are implementing this in cooperation with SpaceX, Fedorov stated, adding that instructions on registering the terminals would be forthcoming.
Fedorov, who is also responsible for Ukraine's digital transformation, has a history of seeking Musk's assistance since the early days of the invasion in 2022. Musk provided immediate Starlink service setup for Ukraine, highlighted as instrumental in bolstering communications.
Despite occasional tensions regarding the use of Starlink—including prior refusals to allow certain military operations—Ukrainian officials continue to view the service as critical for military and civilian operations alike.
