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Russia Pressures Families of Ukrainian POWs to Register Starlink Terminals
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War has warned that Russian forces are attempting to manipulate the families of captured Ukrainian service members, according to a statement published on February 10.
Officials said that cooperation between Ukraine’s Defense Ministry and SpaceX engineers recently led to the shutdown of unauthorized Starlink terminals.
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Russian military units had reportedly relied on these devices to maintain battlefield communications and operate suicide drones that caused significant damage behind Ukrainian lines.
“Searching for a way out of the difficult situation they now face, the occupiers have turned their attention to the families of prisoners of war. We have documented cases of threats and demands to officially register Starlink terminals in their own names. This equipment is then intended to be used against Ukraine and Ukrainians,” the Coordination Headquarters said.
The agency stressed that any cooperation with the enemy carries serious risks. Officially registering a hostile terminal makes the individual easily identifiable, since identity verification is required during the process.
According to the statement, Russian forces are exploiting the vulnerability of prisoners’ relatives and treating Ukrainian lives as expendable.
If a terminal registered by a Ukrainian citizen is later used to guide drones that destroy infrastructure or take lives, that registration could become grounds for criminal prosecution under Ukrainian law.
“We strongly advise anyone who receives offers, threats, or blackmail demanding the registration of Starlink terminals to immediately contact the Coordination Headquarters or law enforcement authorities,” the statement said. “We will provide guidance on how to act without harming yourself or your loved ones.”
Earlier, reports emerged that Ukraine introduced mandatory verification of all Starlink satellite terminals through a national “white list,” allowing only registered and approved devices to operate in the country.
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