SpaceX and Ukrainian authorities have taken coordinated steps to block Russia’s unauthorised use of the Starlink satellite internet system, a move that has strengthened Ukraine’s defensive capabilities while limiting Moscow’s ability to guide long-range drones during the ongoing war.
SpaceX founder and chief executive Elon Musk said on Sunday that measures introduced by his company to prevent illicit Russian access to Starlink appeared to be effective. His comments came as Ukrainian officials confirmed that they were working closely with SpaceX to ensure that the system cannot be exploited again by Russian forces.
Ukraine’s military depends heavily on tens of thousands of Starlink satellite terminals for secure battlefield communications, coordination between units, and in some cases for controlling drone operations. Earlier this week, however, Ukrainian authorities revealed that Starlink equipment had been discovered on long-range drones used in Russian attacks, raising concerns that Moscow was finding ways to circumvent restrictions on the system.
In response, Ukraine said it had intensified cooperation with SpaceX to shut down any unauthorised access. Posting on X, Musk stated that the actions taken to prevent Russia from using Starlink without permission had delivered results and added that SpaceX was open to doing more if necessary.
In a separate statement, Ukraine’s Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said Kyiv was developing additional technical safeguards. He explained that Ukraine was working on a system that would ensure only verified and authorised Starlink terminals could function within Ukrainian territory, thereby preventing hostile forces from hijacking the network.
Fedorov said that the initial steps taken jointly by Ukraine and Starlink had already produced rapid and tangible outcomes in countering Russian drone activity. He described the next phase as the implementation of stricter controls that would lock out any unauthorised users and further secure Ukraine’s communications infrastructure.
SpaceX has previously maintained that it does not sell or ship Starlink terminals to Russia and does not conduct any form of business with the Russian government or its military. In a public statement issued in February 2024, the company reiterated that any Russian use of Starlink would be unauthorised and against its policies.
Starlink was first activated over Ukraine in 2022, shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion, following urgent appeals from Kyiv for reliable communication systems as conventional networks were disrupted. Since then, the service has become a critical component of Ukraine’s military and civilian communications, making efforts to prevent misuse by Russia a key priority for both SpaceX and Ukrainian authorities.
