Russian BM-35 Italmas loitering munitions have begun using the U.S.-made Starlink satellite internet system. The presence of satellite communication equipment on one of these Russian drones was recorded by the Ukrainian side, triggering concern over the implications of such technology on the battlefield.

According to the Telegram channel Voennaya Khronika, the situation has shifted fundamentally: Starlink systems are now providing Russian drones with stable command-and-telemetry links, including video transmission and radio-based remote control. This marks a significant change in how unmanned platforms can be operated under combat conditions.

Earlier, the Telegram channel Osvedomitel reported the appearance of an unidentified device on the Russian strike drone Geran-3. The authors suggested that the equipment could have been a module designed to mount satellite antennas or Starlink terminals, although its exact purpose was not officially confirmed.

The U.S. magazine The National Interest previously noted that Russian drones from the Molniya-2 family had sharply increased their combat effectiveness after being equipped with Starlink satellite communication terminals. According to the publication, integrating this system led to a multiple-fold boost in performance, with drone lethality rising tenfold. Satellite internet connectivity allows unmanned systems to maintain control and data transmission even amid active electronic warfare, where conventional radio channels are suppressed.