Russia has figured out how to mess up Starlink service in Ukraine

25 May, 2024 Ukrainian military installs Starlink. Photo from open sources The Russian invaders have learned how to destabilize the work of the Ukrainian military's Starlink service.

Colonel Andrii Lebedenko, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, stated this. Commenting on the information that the Russians had received such tools of influence, Lebedenko said that "indeed, such a threat is being considered." "Therefore, the infrastructure that ensures the functioning of the control system is reserved for terrestrial channels and other satellite communication systems, high-speed radio communications," said Andrii Lebedenko.

Lebedenko emphasized that "yes, there will definitely be some impact, and it will have consequences, but it will not critically affect the control system, in particular, the control system of unmanned systems and ground robotic systems."

Ukrainian military with Starlink. June 2022.

Ukraine. Photo credits: ArmyInform

Starlink malfunctions in the Kharkiv region

Previously, The New York Times wrote that before the attack on the Kharkiv region, Russia deployed advanced technologies to disrupt the Starlink satellite internet service, which the Ukrainian Defense Forces use to communicate, collect intelligence and conduct drone attacks. Operated by Elon Musk's SpaceX, Starlink has been critical to the Ukrainian military since the earliest days of the war with Russia.

Just before Russian troops pushed across the Ukrainian northern border this month, members of Ukraine's 92nd Assault Brigade noticed that the Starlink Internet began to work intermittently. Without the full service, Ukrainian soldiers said they couldn't quickly communicate and share information about the surprise onslaught and resorted to sending text messages. It is likely that Russia has deployed more powerful electronic weapons and more sophisticated means to disrupt the Starlink satellite internet service.

"The new outages appeared to be the first time the Russians have caused widespread disruptions of Starlink. If they continue to succeed, it could mark a tactical shift in the conflict, highlighting Ukraine's vulnerability and dependence on the service provided by Mr. Musk's company.

As the United States and other governments work with SpaceX, the disruptions raise broader questions about Starlink's reliability against a technically sophisticated adversary," the publication said.

SpaceX's Starlink terminal.

Photo from open sources

Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's digital minister, said Russia's recent attacks against Starlink had appeared to use new and more advanced technology.

As previously reported, the Pentagon found a solution to counter the Russian military's unauthorized use of Starlink internet terminals.