Overview
- Russia is increasingly flying UAVs with Starlink links and alternative navigation to bypass Ukrainian electronic warfare and reach urban areas, the expert told Ukrinform, citing a three-hour Kyiv air alarm on January 26.
- He alleges Belarus is reconfiguring certain mobile towers to emit radio‑beacon signals that let drones over Ukraine form their own coordinate system for navigation and coordination.
- He says Starlink is being used on both reconnaissance and strike platforms that look nearly identical, complicating rapid identification and engagement decisions.
- He warns Russia may use a “master drone” to coordinate groups of UAVs and pass data to others, creating a smarter, networked multi-drone threat.
- He argues Ukraine needs a multi-layered, integrated sensor and air-defense architecture despite shortages of money, technology and personnel, noting separate appeals such as Poland’s foreign minister urging SpaceX to curb Russian Starlink use.