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Ukraine Says It Is Working With SpaceX After Starlink Found on Russian Strike Drones

Kyiv reports a swift response from the company as evidence shows satellite-linked UAVs pushing past jamming to hit deeper targets.

Overview

  • Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said his ministry contacted SpaceX within hours of sightings and that the company began working on mitigations, though no technical details were disclosed.
  • An adviser to Fedorov posted photos of wreckage showing Starlink terminals on multiple Russian UAV types and claimed there have been hundreds of such incidents.
  • Recent reports include a Starlink-equipped BM-35 strike in Dnipro and several Molniya drone attacks about 50 kilometers from the front along the Pavlohrad–Pokrovsk corridor.
  • The Institute for the Study of War assessed that Starlink-enabled BM-35 drones could reach roughly 500 kilometers, potentially putting much of Ukraine and parts of nearby countries within range if launched from Russia or occupied areas.
  • A Ukrainian expert alleged Belarus has modified some mobile towers to emit beacon signals to aid drone coordination, while officials warn that countering these tactics will require costly, layered air-defense and sensor networks.