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Russian UAV Video Feeds Plunge Over 90% Following Ukraine–SpaceX Starlink Cutoff
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![Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk]( "Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk")
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Ukraine’s Minister of Defense, Mykhailo Fedorov, revealed that the deactivation of Russian Starlink terminals has significantly reduced Russia’s military activities, with the number of Russian military streaming operations decreasing by 11 times, NV.UA reported on February 27.
During a meeting with journalists, Fedorov emphasized that Ukraine had effectively “cut off Russia’s communication” by disabling the Starlink terminals, leading to increased interception of radio transmissions.
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This move was a response to the Russian army’s use of Starlink terminals for drone control and general communications, which had become a critical tool for their military operations.
Ukrainian forces had previously regained 201 square kilometers of territory, marking the largest area recaptured in such a short period since June 2023.
The newly reclaimed ground is nearly equivalent to Russia’s total territorial gains during December and represents the most significant rapid advance by Ukrainian troops since the early stages of the 2023 counteroffensive.
Analysts said the Ukrainian counterattacks likely benefited from Russia’s recent loss of access to Starlink satellite internet terminals on the front line.
Thanks to negotiations with SpaceX and Elon Musk, Russia’s Starlink terminals were deactivated, strengthening civilian protection and improving Ukraine’s military capabilities, NV.ua wrote.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense quickly implemented a registration system for Starlink terminals to prevent fraud and misuse by Russian forces, which was crucial in limiting the use of Western technologies for aggressive purposes.
Fedorov also mentioned ongoing collaboration with SpaceX to resolve issues related to the use of Starlink by Russian drones. This step marks a crucial development in Ukraine’s efforts to safeguard its territory from drone attacks, with significant implications for Russia’s military operations on the front lines.
Earlier, Ukrainian drone operators from the 414th brigade, known as “Ptakhy Madyara,” had discovered a Russian communications tower used as a data-relay node on a section of the front.
According to reports, Russian forces have been trying to build alternative channels after Starlink terminals used by Russian troops in Ukraine were blocked under a Ukrainian-led verification and whitelist system coordinated with SpaceX.
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-91fb9586e5f33e0cdb666f601481986c.jpg "Russian Pantsir-S1 air defense system mounter on heavy Belarusian-made MZKT-7930 chassis moments before being hit by Ukrainian drones, February 27, 2026. (Source: Exilenova_plus)")
-c439b7bd9030ecf9d5a4287dc361ba31.jpg "Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko")