A senior Russian defence official has acknowledged that Starlink satellite terminals used by the military have been offline for two weeks, but insisted the disruption has not affected drone operations. Deputy Defence Minister Aleksei Krivoruchko told state television that the outage had no impact on the "intensity or effectiveness" of unmanned systems.
The statement follows claims by Elon Musk and Ukrainian officials earlier this month that Starlink terminals used by Russian forces had been disconnected, with Kyiv saying the move had significantly affected Russian operations.
Ukraine itself relies heavily on tens of thousands of Starlink connections for battlefield communications and to pilot certain drone missions. The satellite internet system is produced by SpaceX. Kyiv has also reported finding Starlink terminals on long-range drones used in Russian attacks, highlighting the growing role of satellite technology in the conflict...