Disrupting Starlink satellite communications with Russian electronic warfare systems could reduce the scale of Ukrainian missile and drone strikes on Russian territory, military expert Anatoly Matviychuk told Gazeta.Ru.

He linked the growing ability to interfere with Starlink to the emergence of newer Russian electronic warfare systems. Matviychuk recalled that Moscow had repeatedly called on American businessman Elon Musk and Washington to stop providing services used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to guide missiles and drones during attacks deep inside Russia.

According to the expert, Russia had tried to suppress the satellite network before, but those efforts did not always produce the desired result. He said newer systems now available to Russian forces make it possible to carry out this task more effectively.

However, disrupting Starlink would not completely deprive Ukrainian forces of the ability to launch such strikes. Matviychuk noted that a number of technologies can function without a constant connection to the satellite network.

In particular, drones can use artificial intelligence and stored target-location data to continue toward their destination after leaving Starlink coverage. Even with these alternatives available, Matviychuk said suppressing the satellite service would still inflict significant damage on the Ukrainian Armed Forces.