Elon Musk's efforts to stop Russia from using Starlink satellites for drone attacks have delivered real results, a Ukrainian official said.
Praising the SpaceX founder as a true champion of freedom and a true friend of the Ukrainian people, defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov stated that Musk had swiftly acted when informed that Russian drones utilizing Starlink were operating within Ukraine.
The drones have been involved in several deadly attacks, including an incident on a moving passenger train that claimed six lives.
Musk noted on X, Looks like the steps we took to stop the unauthorized use of Starlink by Russia have worked. Let us know if more needs to be done.
Starlink, which provides global high-speed internet, has been operational in Ukraine since the early days of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
The Russian drones have proved to be a challenge to counter due to their low-altitude flight, real-time control by operators, and resilience against electronic warfare, according to Fedorov.
An analysis by the Institute for the Study of War warned that the efficiency of Russian kamikaze Molniya-2 drones equipped with Starlink had increased significantly.
While details of the specific actions remain unclear, Fedorov mentioned that SpaceX had imposed a speed limit of 75kph on Starlink terminals within Ukraine to hinder the operational effectiveness of Russian drones.
Moreover, the Ukrainian government is developing a whitelist of approved Starlink terminals, with plans to disconnect unregistered devices, in collaboration with SpaceX.
This development follows Musk's historical relationship with Ukraine, which turned contentious after he denied military access to Starlink during the ongoing conflict over Crimea.
Despite political disagreements, Fedorov has acknowledged Musk's early and crucial support during Ukraine's crisis, highlighting that Starlink has been instrumental for their military communication and operations.
