The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has agreed with the American company SpaceX to disable Starlink satellite communication terminals that are not included in the "white list". This decision is designed to impact the combat capabilities of the Russian army but has also affected the AFU. BBC analysts Oleg Chernysh and Ilya Abishev explain how.
Starlink terminal. Illustrative photo
First, it's important to understand why SpaceX's satellite communication is so crucial for the military of both countries.
The fact is that neither Ukraine nor Russia has suitable analogues to replace it. Moreover, no other country has a replacement for the stable, convenient, high-speed communication that Starlink provides. Even China is only planning to create a similar constellation of small satellites in orbit.
Therefore, when Ukrainian authorities managed to negotiate with Elon Musk to transfer the first Starlink terminals after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022, it became an advantage for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Military personnel (as well as officials and local authorities) received a convenient and accessible means for rapid information exchange, video broadcasting, calls, and more.
This contributed to the coordination of combat operations and also allowed Kyiv to increase the effectiveness of its aerial and naval drones.
Installing Starlink terminals on them allowed them to be controlled virtually in FPV mode deep in enemy territory. However, the use of Starlinks near the coast of Crimea soon became impossible due to Musk's personal decision.
Minister of Defense Mykhailo Fedorov announced the introduction of "white lists" on February 2. A few days later, he reported on the results of the innovation. Photo: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine
This satellite communication system remains the primary communication infrastructure in the Ukrainian army.
However, in the second half of 2023, the first Starlink terminals began appearing on the front lines and with the Russians.
Given that Russian citizens cannot officially use this service, and Starlink itself does not operate in Russia, it is clear that these were "gray" terminals, purchased and smuggled from third countries.
Russian servicemen did not hide that they used these systems with hacked or illegally registered accounts.
Russians used the American company's communication – and admitted it themselves – for planning assault operations and adjusting artillery and UAV strikes.
In practice, this looked like several Russian assault groups stealthily infiltrating the rear of AFU positions, with their movement direction shown in online mode by a commander who, in turn, received a live broadcast of the operational situation from a drone. All of this was provided precisely via Starlink communication.
As early as the beginning of 2024, Mykhailo Fedorov (then Minister of Digital Transformation) spoke about finding a solution that would deactivate these Russian terminals.
"We found an algorithm, proposed it to SpaceX, and now we are communicating on how to ensure such cases do not happen," he stated in an interview with "Suspilne" on February 19, 2024.
However, it took almost two years for this "solution" to actually be implemented.
The last straw was that the Russian army began installing Starlinks on its attack drones and attacking military and civilian targets in the rear of Ukrainian territory.
The solution Fedorov mentioned was obvious and practically the only possible one: verification of all those hundreds of thousands of Starlinks that had reached Ukrainians by various means. And all other terminals – to disconnect them.
Starlink: Urgent Disconnection
Minister of Defense Mykhailo Fedorov announced the start of verification on February 2.
"The government has adopted a resolution on the introduction of a 'white list' for Starlink satellite terminals. Soon, only verified and registered terminals will operate in Ukraine. Everything else will be disconnected," the minister announced.
He emphasized that the verification process would be "as simple as possible" for military personnel, civilians, and businesses alike.
Soon after, the ministry disseminated instructions on how to register one's terminal.
Communications chiefs or authorized persons were required to transmit information about Starlink terminals used in their units via the DELTA military situational awareness system.
They needed to enter the so-called KIT number, which is a combination of letters and numbers indicated on the shipping label, or the UTID terminal identifier, which is in the settings menu of the Starlink application.
From February 6, the Ministry of Defense further simplified the process; now, this information can be entered via DELTA not only by authorized persons but by any military personnel using the terminal.
Cheap and mass-produced Russian "Molniya" UAV with an installed Starlink terminal. Such drones began to be recorded at the end of last year, posing a serious threat to Ukraine. Photo: Serhiy Flash
For civilians, the algorithm is more complex.
One needs to take the above-mentioned terminal data (KIT number, UTID number, or Starlink user account number), passport, and identification code and visit a local TsNAP (Center for Administrative Services). There, an application for registration must be submitted directly to the administrator.
If a citizen uses more than one terminal, they must bring all of them along.
For officials and businesses, there is an option to submit data about their terminals via the "Diia" portal.
After receiving the identification data of the terminals from the Ukrainian authorities, SpaceX gradually resumes the operation of devices on the "white list". The Ministry of Defense states that this can take up to two days.
All other terminals will remain blocked.
"White List": What is the effect for Russians?
Three days after the start of verification, Minister Fedorov announced that the system had successfully begun operation.
"Starlinks entered into the 'white list' are working – Russian terminals are already blocked," he stated.
Dozens of reports about Starlink "falling" appeared in Russian social networks and pro-war Telegram channels.
"The disconnection of Starlink terminals used by the Russian Armed Forces by the Americans negatively affected the organization of communication in our units. Troops are urgently organizing backup, albeit less convenient, communication methods," writes the large Telegram channel "Two Majors" (1.2 million subscribers).
Russian "military blogger" Yuri Podolyaka (2.9 million subscribers) described the situation that developed in Russian Armed Forces units without satellite communication as "chaos."
Starlink terminals were also found on BM-35 (pictured) and Shahed attack drones. Photo: Serhiy Flash
"What everyone was so afraid of, but secretly hoped wouldn't happen until the end of the SMO, has happened. Elon Musk flipped the switch, and 80% of Starlink terminals on the front collapsed. Moreover, with high probability, on our side, it will soon reach 100%, and only Russian ingenuity will be able to try to circumvent it," he wrote on February 5 on Telegram.
Ukrainian sources also speak of "chaos" and complete "disorganization" in Russian units without Starlink.
Adviser to the Minister of Defense, electronic warfare and communications specialist Serhiy Beskrestnov (call sign "Flash") stated that the Russian army was even forced to halt assault operations.
"The enemy on the fronts doesn't just have a problem; the enemy has a catastrophe. All troop control has collapsed. Assault operations have been halted in many areas," he noted.
AFU General Staff statistics indicate a decrease in the number of combat operations on the front after February 2, the day SpaceX began disabling "gray" terminals.
While 338 combat engagements were recorded on January 31, and 179 on February 1, in the following days, this indicator fell by 15-20%. For example, there were 133 engagements on February 4.
A source from the Ukrainian service of the BBC in the AFU General Staff command confirms the information about communication problems in the Russian army.
The situation with the disconnection of Starlinks "significantly" affected the coordination of Russian troops' actions, and they are trying to find replacements, the interlocutor said.
The nuance is that there are virtually none.
What to replace Starlink with
Judging by the initial reactions to SpaceX's disconnection of unverified Starlink terminals, Russian military personnel in Ukraine used them more extensively than previously thought.
Now, this "gap" in the system for administering access to American satellite communication seems to be closed for them.
There are replacement options, but they are not as effective, reliable, and cheap. For short-range communication – a couple of dozen kilometers – fiber optics, radio masts using Wi-Fi transmission principles, or radio modems that transmit digital data via a radio channel can be used.
Russia also has its own satellite communication, for example, the "Gazprom Space Systems" (GKS) structure. It is used in combat operations, but limitedly.
GKS has only five communication satellites in geostationary orbit – far fewer than Starlink. This means limited coverage and low signal throughput. Moreover, this system is expensive, complex to maintain, requires precise antenna positioning, and stable satellite visibility, which cannot always be ensured in field conditions.
Russia also has a project for its own low-orbit communication satellite constellation, which is being handled by the private company "Bureau 1440" with the support of Roscosmos.
Russia has its own satellite communication from "Gazprom Space Systems," but it has limited coverage, low data transfer speed, and high cost. Photo: Gazprom Space Systems
The project was planned to begin implementation in December 2025 – at this initial stage, the launch of the first 16 spacecraft was to begin from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome.
By 2027, their number in orbit was planned to reach 250-300, and at the same time, developers intended to launch a broadband communication service. In the long term, by 2035, the number of orbital vehicles was to increase to approximately 900 to ensure global coverage.
The launch of the first satellites did not take place; the dates and reasons for the postponement are not officially named. According to Russian media, the reason may be related to delays in the production of the devices.
Starlink "Falling": Are there problems in the Ukrainian army?
However, the "falling" of unverified terminals also affected the Ukrainian army. Thousands of subscribers were left without communication, including during combat operations or drone control.
"My Starlinks are still not approved (not verified, — Ed.), although the application was submitted a long time ago," says AFU serviceman Roman, who is fighting in the Zaporizhzhia direction, to the Ukrainian service of the BBC.
Several of his comrades-in-arms are in a similar situation. To perform urgent combat tasks, they ask to "rent" several terminals for a couple of hours from other units that have already managed to "approve" them.
Former MP, now commander of an air defense missile platoon Tetyana Chornovol, also draws attention to this problem.
"The disconnection left my two combat pilot positions without communication. Even Musk didn't do such a dirty trick as our own. It's good that my positions are not in such 'vicious' places now as they were a year ago. So I had the opportunity to bring an 'alternative' to one position in the morning; on the more 'vicious' position, an alternative had been in reserve for a long time, so we are already in communication," she reported on February 5.
According to her, the Starlink terminals still did not work, even though the necessary data for inclusion in the "white list" had been submitted in advance.
The Ministry of Defense explains the delays by the volume of data and the length of procedures at SpaceX.
To register several terminals at once, all of them will have to be brought to the TsNAP, the Ministry of Defense says. This is done to prevent abuses and possible assistance to the Russian army. Photo: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine
In addition, there is a certain level of distrust of the military towards the state.
A large number of Starlink terminals were received by soldiers from volunteers, friends, or relatives. This means they are not officially on the balance sheet of the military unit. They fear that the command will take them if they are verified.
The Ministry of Defense promises not to confiscate these devices and not to force military personnel to put registered Starlinks on the balance sheet.
"I give you my word that these data are needed only for the register of terminals that will operate in the country. No one will soon take your Starlinks or put them on the balance sheet," emphasizes Minister's adviser Serhiy "Flash".
In any case, this process is gaining momentum, and in the near future, all "Ukrainian" Starlink terminals will return to operation. And "Russian" ones will remain deactivated. And the Kremlin must figure out how to urgently resolve this.
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