Ukraine and SpaceX blocked Starlink use on Russian drones. Unverified terminals will be disconnected, and users will soon register devices for verification to secure communications.
Ukraine, together with SpaceX, has implemented the first “emergency” measures that allowed the rapid blocking of Starlink satellite communications on Russian attack drones. The next step in combating Russia’s technological terror will be the full verification of all terminals operating on Ukrainian territory. This was reported by Glavcom, citing Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
According to Fedorov, cooperation with Elon Musk and Gwynne Shotwell made it possible to quickly find a technical solution to limit enemy capabilities.
After Russian forces began equipping drones such as the “Shahed,” “Gerbera,” and the latest “BM-35” with Starlink terminals in January 2026, the Ukrainian side proposed a number of technical solutions to SpaceX. As of February 1, the first restrictions have already been implemented: terminals moving at high speeds (typical for drone flight) are automatically blocked.
The next stage is the introduction of a list of authorized terminals. This means that only devices officially registered and verified by Ukrainian users will be able to operate on Ukrainian territory.
“In the coming days, we will publish instructions for Ukrainian users on registering Starlink for verification. Unverified terminals will be disconnected. The registration process will be simple, fast, and convenient for users. Detailed instructions will be released shortly. We thank Starlink and SpaceX for their cooperation and proactive stance in supporting Ukrainians,” emphasized Mykhailo Fedorov.
It should be recalled that the Ministry of Defense, together with SpaceX, is already addressing the issue of Starlink being used on Russian drones.
“A few hours after Russian drones equipped with Starlink communications appeared over Ukrainian cities, the Ministry of Defense team quickly contacted SpaceX and proposed ways to solve this problem. I am grateful to SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell and personally to Elon Musk for their rapid response and for starting work to resolve the situation,” Fedorov noted.
The Defense Minister emphasized that Elon Musk’s decision to urgently activate Starlink and send the first batch of terminals to Ukraine at the start of the full-scale invasion was critically important for the resilience of our state.
