Yesterday at 22:17
The Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine intercepted conversations of Russian troops in which they complained about poor communication quality following the shutdown of Starlink satellite terminals, UATV English reports.
According to the report, Ukrainian military intelligence has observed that Starlink terminals along the entire frontline have been disabled in Russian units.
As a result, Russian forces are forced to seek alternatives, which cannot match the quality of Western communication technologies.
One soldier mentioned using a Russian alternative, the “Gazprom” terminal, operating via the Yamal satellites, but even with this system, effective communication in combat conditions is nearly impossible due to poor signal quality.
The intercepted conversation revealed that the Gazprom terminals fail to provide stable video relay to command posts. One soldier noted:
“Yes, but maybe something has changed. Once we went to the neighbors, the 76th Airborne Division, they had Gazprom, and the transmission didn’t work.”
Currently, only five Yamal satellites are in geostationary orbit, which is insufficient to cover the entire frontline, as most of the capacity is dedicated to domestic Russian users. The operator has been under international sanctions since February 23, 2024.
The Main Intelligence Directorate noted that the Starlink shutdown has already caused serious problems with unit coordination, logistics, and the operation of unmanned systems, including both ground and aerial drones.
Earlier, Serhiy Beskrestnov stated that restrictions on Starlink terminals have significantly complicated coordination among Russian forces and have already affected assault operations in certain frontline areas. Russians are reportedly seeking ways to reactivate Starlink terminals in the combat zone.
In parallel, SpaceX, at Ukraine’s request, has started countering Shahed-type attack drones that utilize Starlink technology.
