Ukraine Says Russian Starlink Terminals Have Been Cut Off, Disrupting Front-Line Communications

Ukraine’s Defense Ministry says Starlink satellite internet terminals being used by Russian forces inside Ukraine have been “cut off,” disrupting communications along the front line.

Defense officials say the move comes as SpaceX works with Ukraine to verify approved Starlink devices through a newly updated “whitelist.” According to Ukrainian officials, terminals added to the approved list remain operational, while unverified systems used by Russian forces have been blocked.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said the first batch of whitelisted terminals is already active, and verification efforts are ongoing. A source within Ukraine’s armed forces claimed that Russian Starlink units along the front line were fully disabled as of Thursday evening local time.

Starlink, owned by SpaceX, is not authorized for use in Russia under U.S. sanctions. Still, Ukrainian officials and analysts have warned that Russia has increasingly found ways to exploit the system — including mounting Starlink terminals on attack drones to bypass electronic jamming and strike deeper into Ukrainian territory.

Ukraine itself has relied heavily on Starlink since the start of the war, using it for military coordination, drone operations, and communications for hospitals, schools, and other public institutions.

Advisers to the defense ministry say the shutdown has had a serious impact on Russian operations, with some claiming command-and-control systems have collapsed in several areas.

Elon Musk said earlier this week that SpaceX was taking steps to prevent Russia’s unauthorized use of Starlink and urged users in Ukraine to register their terminals.

Russian military bloggers acknowledged disruptions online, with some noting reduced internet access in combat zones, while others insisted backup radio systems were still functioning. Ukrainian forces also reported isolated disruptions on their side during the verification process, though some units said service was quickly restored after registering their terminals.

Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts continued as Ukraine, Russia, and the United States wrapped up another round of talks in Abu Dhabi. While no major breakthrough was announced, both sides agreed to their first prisoner exchange since October, with 157 prisoners of war returned by each country. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said additional negotiations are expected in the near future.

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