01:21 29-01-2026

How Russian Forces Use Starlink for Drone Operations

By Frank Vincentz - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

Maksim Kondratyev details how Russian forces use Starlink terminals on Italmas and other UAVs for high-speed control and covert strikes across Ukraine.

Academician of the Russian Engineering Academy Maksim Kondratyev says Russian armed forces units have been using Starlink terminals for communication and UAV control for quite some time, but only over Ukrainian territory.

He explains that civilian Starlink terminals can be integrated into unmanned systems without major difficulty, providing high-speed internet access and stable, high-quality video feeds. According to Kondratyev, the terminals are installed on fixed-wing drones that are then used both for strike missions and for reconnaissance. He adds that all of this equipment is purchased abroad, since Starlink is not officially sold in Russia.

As an example, Kondratyev points to the Russian Italmas drone, which can be connected to Starlink terminals. He notes that the operator is able to fly the UAV at extremely low altitudes, which reduces the chances of it being hit by enemy air defense systems.

Commenting on the technical side, Kondratyev says Starlink terminal systems make it possible to control drones via a high-speed internet link that delivers a very high-quality image to the operator. At the same time, he stresses that these satellite terminals are only one component in a more complex communications architecture. For that reason, he argues, even if Starlink were switched off, strikes by Russian forces on Ukrainian military targets would continue.

In his view, Russian technological solutions in this field create a constant lag for enemy air defense systems, allowing drones to operate across the entire territory of Ukraine with a minimal risk of being detected in time.