Ukraine Reports Declining Starlink Effectiveness Amid Russian Electronic Warfare

Russian Electronic Warfare Systems Disrupt Starlink Used by Ukrainian Forces

12:38 28-08-2026

Russian electronic warfare systems are reportedly disrupting Starlink communications used by Ukrainian forces, while Russia continues developing its own Rassvet satellite network.

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Russian electronic warfare systems have begun causing serious disruptions to Starlink, which is widely used by the Ukrainian military for communications. According to the Spanish newspaper El Mundo, Ukrainian troops are already complaining about the declining effectiveness of the satellite system.

The report claims that Russia’s Volna-Kupol-Garant electronic warfare system is capable of disrupting Starlink operations. One Ukrainian serviceman told journalists that the practical benefits of satellite communications are gradually diminishing due to the impact of Russian electronic warfare systems.

Ihor Lutsenko, co-founder of Ukraine’s Center for Aerial Reconnaissance Support, offered a similar assessment. According to him, the previous «window of opportunity» for using Starlink is beginning to close as Russian radio-jamming systems reduce the satellite network’s effectiveness.

At the same time, the Ukrainian military remains heavily dependent on Starlink, the El Mundo report notes. The satellite network is widely used by Ukrainian Armed Forces units, while Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to the publication, is seeking permission from Washington to use the technology to guide drone strikes against targets inside Russia.

However, Kyiv is unlikely to receive US approval. The Financial Times previously reported that the United States is unlikely to authorize such use of the technology.

Meanwhile, Russia is developing its own low-Earth-orbit satellite system. In March, Russian aerospace company Bureau 1440 launched 16 satellites belonging to the Rassvet constellation into orbit. The satellites are based on the company’s proprietary platform and feature a communications system built on 5G NTN architecture, an upgraded power supply system, a new generation of inter-satellite laser communication terminals, and a plasma propulsion system.

In June, Vladimir Putin said during a meeting with military personnel that the Russian system is not inferior to Starlink in terms of its capabilities and may even surpass the US satellite network in certain areas.