“They had their Starlink access restricted, so they are developing their own satellite system and already have prototypes of signal-boosting systems similar to Starlink,” Madyar said.
According to him, the prototypes are “crude, easy to detect and bulky, but it is only a matter of time.”
“In a year, they will evolve and have their own alternative network along the entire front line,” Madyar said.
Earlier, Russian outlet Verstka reported that Russian forces were bypassing Starlink restrictions by using proxy Ukrainian citizens. However, some terminals were still being blocked after verification, while communication problems for Russian troops intensified amid restrictions affecting the Telegram messaging platform.
Starlink restrictions on Russian forces
On Jan. 29, Mykhailo Fedorov said Ukraine’s Defense Ministry and SpaceX were working together to address the use of Starlink terminals on Russian drones.
On Jan. 30, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said he was “glad to help” Ukraine solve the issue of Russian drones controlled through Starlink terminals.
On Feb. 1, Musk said measures taken by his company to stop the use of Starlink on Russian drones had “produced results.”
On Feb. 2, Fedorov announced the launch of Starlink terminal verification in Ukraine. He said only verified and registered terminals would operate in the country, while all others would be disconnected in an effort to prevent Russian forces from using the system.
On Feb. 5, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry confirmed that Russian forces had lost access to Starlink, causing assaults to halt along many sections of the front line. Reports at the time described the situation for Russian troops as “catastrophic” and said it had triggered widespread panic.
The communication problems gave Ukraine’s Defense Forces an opportunity to carry out successful counterattacks and slow Russian advances, according to the Institute for the Study of War.