Moscow rushes to replace Starlink with substitutes
Serhii Beskrestnov / Telegram
Russia is urgently supplying various satellite internet terminals to the front, hoping to replace Starlink after Kyiv and SpaceX found a way to prevent Russian troops from using the service, Serhii Beskrestnov, an advisor to Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, said in a Telegram post on Feb. 9.
Beskrestnov said Russia has access to multiple high-speed
providers using Yamal and Express satellites. He then described how to spot the
new terminals on the battlefield:
- Their 60-to-120-centimeter oval or round dishes resemble TV
satellite antennas.
- They are aimed southeast or south (azimuth 110 to 180
degrees).
- The antennas lack protective covers (unlike Starlink dishes) because covers would disrupt the required frequencies.
- Once deployed, the dishes can be carried closer to
front-line positions and linked to forward Wi-Fi networks.
Beskrestnov previously warned that after Ukraine blocked Starlink terminals used by Russian forces, the next challenge would be countering the enemy using mesh networking to dynamically rebroadcast control signals to its UAVs.
On Feb. 2, Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced the launch of Starlink terminal verification in Ukraine. He said that only verified and registered terminals will operate in the country, while all others will be disconnected to counter the use of Starlink by Russian forces.
On Feb. 5, Beskrestnov said Russian troops halted assaults
in many sections of the front line due to the mass shutdown of Starlink
satellite communications, calling the situation a “catastrophe” for the enemy.
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