Russia’s Starlink-Controlled Sea Drones Destroyed During Failed Attack on Ukrainian Coast

Russian forces attempted to strike Ukraine’s Black Sea coastline using several uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) early on June 23, but Ukrainian defenders detected and destroyed the craft before they reached shore.

According to a June 23 statement by Defense Ministry advisor Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov, Russian forces launched the attack at approximately 4 a.m. Ukrainian military units detected and destroyed the vessels before they reached the coastline.

“Today at 4 a.m., the enemy attempted to attack our coastline with several unmanned strike boats,” Beskrestnov wrote. He added that the vessels were “detected and destroyed at sea” as a result of coordinated actions by Ukrainian forces.

According to Beskrestnov, the destroyed vessels were equipped with Starlink satellite communication terminals, which he said Russia uses to maintain long-range control of maritime drones.

“As I explained earlier, Starlink was installed on the destroyed boats because the enemy has no other long-range control systems,” he stated.

Images shared by Beskrestnov indicated that the interception took place in the Black Sea near the Kinburn Spit, south of Ochakiv, along the coastline of Mykolaiv and Kherson regions.

Read more

Category

War in Ukraine

Losing Starlink Broke Down Russia’s Plans for Black Sea Drone Fleet Campaign. Here’s Why

May 10, 2026 15:51

The reported attack comes amid ongoing efforts by Ukraine to counter Russia’s use of satellite communication systems on unmanned platforms. Ukrainian officials have previously stated that Russian forces obtained Starlink terminals through third countries despite the service not being officially available in Russia.

Earlier this year, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense said it had engaged with SpaceX regarding the use of Starlink by Russian forces. Ukrainian authorities subsequently introduced a national verification system for Starlink terminals, allowing only registered and approved devices to operate inside the country. Officials said the measure was designed to limit unauthorized use of the network by Russian military units.

Protect Ukrainian Skies

Subscribe to Sky Defense