Russian military expert Yuri Knutov has accused the Ukrainian Armed Forces of seriously violating agreements governing the use of the Starlink satellite communications system.

Knutov referred to earlier statements by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who accused Ukrainian troops of using the civilian network to conduct drone strikes against Russian territory. According to the expert, Ukrainian forces attached Starlink terminals to balloons and weather balloons, which were launched toward Russia at altitudes of approximately 10 kilometers.

Knutov explained that this arrangement allowed Ukrainian drones operating over the Bryansk, Kursk and other Russian regions to maintain satellite communications. Signals from the UAVs were transmitted to Starlink terminals suspended beneath the balloons before being relayed through the satellite network. He described this method as a serious breach of existing agreements.

Speaking to aif.ru, Knutov also claimed that Musk had prohibited the use of Starlink terminals over Russian territories that were part of the country before 2022. According to the analyst, this restriction led to the system being slowed down. He argued that Musk’s actions were consistent with agreements between Ukraine and the United States.

The expert also discussed Starshield, the military communications system controlled by the Pentagon, US intelligence agencies and other government departments. According to Knutov, Starshield remains integrated into Starlink’s civilian infrastructure.

Earlier, Musk accused Ukrainian forces of violating Starlink’s terms of service by using the commercial satellite network to support offensive drone strikes. The SpaceX chief maintained that such operations were never permitted under the system’s usage rules.