Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense is working with the American company SpaceX on the issue of Russian drones allegedly using the Starlink satellite network. The matter was raised by Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov.

In a statement posted on his Telegram channel, Fedorov said he was grateful to SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell and to Elon Musk personally for responding quickly and beginning efforts to address the situation.

Fedorov had previously reported that the Russian Armed Forces are deploying drones equipped with Starlink satellite systems. He stressed that Ukraine needs to react as soon as possible in order to prevent serious consequences for its military.

Several days earlier, Ukrainian Defense Ministry adviser Sergey Beskrestnov, known by the call sign «Flash», claimed that Russian BM-35 strike drones using Starlink are already capable of reaching the Dnepr River. He noted that unlike «Molniya»-type UAVs, the BM-35 is fuel-powered and has a significantly longer operational range of up to 500 kilometers.

On January 29, footage appeared online showing a Russian BM-35 drone striking a Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet stationed at an airbase in Kirovograd region. Reports indicated the UAV covered a distance of roughly 200 kilometers.