Tel Aviv: SpaceX restricted internet access for Starlink terminals operating in Ukraine at speeds of more than 75 miles per hour. The restriction is intended to prevent the system from being used on fast-moving drones, which Russia has increasingly outfitted with satellite terminals to strike targets deep within Ukrainian territory.
Israeli sources said that “similar steps have been taken in the Middle East” in recent “events,” but refused to be specific.
Starlink offers high-speed internet via a constellation of satellites and has been operational in Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Ukrainian military units, government agencies, hospitals, businesses, and individuals rely on the system to communicate, coordinate, and conduct drone operations.
For years, both the Ukrainian and Russian military deployed Starlink-linked equipment along the battle lines. According to Ukrainian officials, Russia has bypassed US sanctions by procuring terminals through third nations and grey markets, despite the fact that the technology is not for sale or use in Russia.
Russia has been adapting Starlink terminals for use on its Iranian-supplied drones in Ukraine to extend their range and jamming resistance, despite US sanctions and SpaceX restrictions. Recent evidence show that SpaceX is implementing geofencing updates and speed-based deactivation.
Russian forces continue acquiring Starlink units via third countries and black markets, mounting them on “Molniya” and other IRS drones for deeper strikes. However, SpaceX’s countermeasures—coordinated with Ukraine and the Pentagon—have blunted widespread use, with hundreds of terminals disabled by late 2024 and ongoing blocks in 2026.
Starlink is a satellite internet constellation operated by Starlink Services, LLC, an international telecommunications provider and wholly owned subsidiary of American aerospace company SpaceX, providing coverage to around 150 countries and territories. It also aims to provide global mobile broadband. Starlink has been instrumental to SpaceX’s growth.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
