Russia could create its own Starlink alternative within a year
SBS Commander Robert Brovdi (Madyar) spoke about Russia's plans to create its own analogue of Starlink (Photo: t.me/osirskiy)
Commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces Robert Brovdi said Russia could develop its own analogue of Starlink within a year, speaking in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda on May 14.
“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.
Will you support Ukraine’s free press?
Dear reader, as all news organizations, we must balance the pressures of delivering timely, accurate, and relevant stories with requirements to fund our business operations.
As a Ukrainian-based media, we also have another responsibility – to amplify Ukraine’s voice to the world during the crucial moment of its existence as a political nation.
It’s the support of our readers that lets us continue doing our job. We keep our essential reporting free because we believe in our ultimate purpose: an independent, democratic Ukraine.
If you’re willing to support Ukraine, consider subscribing to our Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.
Please help us continue fighting Russian propaganda.
Truth can be hard to tell from fiction these days. Every viewpoint has its audience of backers and supporters, no matter how absurd.
If conscious disinformation is reinforced by state propaganda apparatus and budget, its outcomes may become deadly.
There is no solution to this, other than independent, honest, and accurate reporting.
We remain committed to empowering the Ukrainian voice to push against the muck. If you’re willing to stand up for the truth – consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. Thank you very much.
Will you help tell Ukraine’s story to the world?
Twenty years ago, most people hadn’t even heard of Ukraine. Today, the country is on everyone’s lips and everyone’s headlines. War pushed us on the front page. But there are many other things we do that we are proud of – from music and culture to technology.
We need your help to tell the world Ukrainian story of resilience, joy, and survival. If you’re willing to back our effort, consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
