Russian troops lose Starlink connectivity, their alternatives fail in battle

"Ukrainian military intelligence has recorded the shutdown of Starlink satellite communication terminals in the occupying forces along the entire line of combat contact," HUR said.

The intel also quotes statements made by the Russian soldiers themselves regarding Russian communications equipment, in particular Gazprom terminals, which they are forced to use instead of Starlink.

"As far as I know, Gazprom is f***ing sh*t," says one soldier about the quality of Russian satellite systems.

With alternatives in combat conditions, it is practically impossible to ensure stable communication due to poor signal quality. In particular, Gazprom terminals cannot ensure stable video transmission to command posts.

Russian systems, operating via the five geostationary Yamal satellites, cannot ensure consistent video feeds to command posts or reliable coverage along the front due to limited capacity as most bandwidth serves civilian subscribers inside Russia. The operator has been under international sanctions since Feb. 23, 2024.

"The suspension of Starlink's operations has already led to serious problems with the interaction of units, logistics, and the use of various types of unmanned systems, from ground-based to airborne," HUR concluded.

AFP, citing Institute for the Study of War data, reported that Ukrainian forces recaptured 201 square kilometers of territory between Feb. 11–15, marking the fastest advance rate in 2.5 years.

Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced on Feb. 2 the launch of Starlink terminal verification in Ukraine, stating only registered and verified devices will operate while unauthorized ones — including those used by Russian forces — will be blocked.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk agreed to assist with the issue.

On the same day, Fedorov confirmed unauthorized terminals used by Russians have been disabled, with registration continuing, including through administrative service centers.

Technological adviser to the defense minister Serhiy (Flash) Beskrestnov said that mass Starlink cutoffs have halted Russian assaults on multiple front sectors, calling it a “catastrophe” for the enemy.

He also reported on Feb. 12 that specialists from the 256th Cyber Assault Division conducted an information operation, obtaining thousands of terminal numbers, payments and contacts from those attempting activation.