Elon Musk’s efforts to prevent Russia from using Starlink satellites to control attack drones have “delivered real results,” a senior Ukrainian official said.
Ukraine’s defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, praised the SpaceX founder as “a true champion of freedom and a true friend of the Ukrainian people,” saying Musk acted quickly after being alerted that Russian drones operating in Ukraine were using Starlink connectivity.
The drones have been linked to several recent deadly Russian attacks, including a strike on a moving passenger train that killed six people.
“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 curbs and drone warfare
Starlink, operated by SpaceX, has provided high-speed satellite internet in Ukraine since the first days of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
Fedorov said Russian drones are difficult to intercept because they fly at low altitudes, cannot be neutralised through electronic warfare, and are controlled remotely in real time.
In mid-January, the Institute for the Study of War warned that Russia’s use of Starlink-enabled Molniya-2 kamikaze drones had increased their battlefield effectiveness “dramatically”.
While neither Fedorov nor Musk detailed the exact countermeasures taken, Ukraine’s defence ministry outlet ArmiyaInform reported that SpaceX had imposed a speed limit of 75kph on Starlink terminals operating over Ukraine.
“Russian drones move much more quickly, so the enemy operators will not be able to control them in real time,” the website said.
On Monday, Fedorov said Ukraine was also preparing a white list of approved Starlink terminals authorised to operate in the country, with all unregistered terminals to be disconnected.
“We are implementing this in cooperation with SpaceX,” Fedorov said, adding that instructions on registering terminals would follow.
Russian war bloggers warned the measures could have broader consequences, as Russian forces also use Starlink to provide internet access along the front line.
A strained but ongoing partnership
Fedorov — then deputy prime minister — sought Musk’s assistance shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. By the end of the day, Musk said Starlink had been enabled in Ukraine and promised additional satellite dishes.
Relations later became strained when Musk denied the Ukrainian military access to Starlink in Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014. Musk said Ukraine would have used the service to “sink most of the Russian fleet,” arguing that SpaceX would be made “complicit in a major act of war”.
Musk has since criticised Western governments for continuing to fund Ukraine’s war effort.
“It is insane to keep sending so much money to Ukraine with no accountability and no end game,” he said.
However, he has also insisted Starlink would not be withdrawn.
“no matter how much I disagree with the Ukraine policy, Starlink will never turn off its terminals.”
“My Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian army. Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off,” Musk said in March.
Despite past tensions, Fedorov last week again praised Musk’s decision to enable Starlink at the outset of the invasion, calling it “critically important for the stability of our state”.
The 35-year-old former minister for digital transformation was appointed defence minister by President Volodymyr Zelensky last month. He has promoted a data-driven defence strategy and closer cooperation with Silicon Valley firms, arguing that deeper integration with technology partners would strengthen Ukraine’s military.
