Russian drones use Starlinks. The report reveals the scale of the phenomenon

A few days ago, there was a lot of talk about the exchange of tweets between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Radosław Sikorski, and Elon Musk. The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated in an entry on the X platform that the Russians use Starlinks in attacks on Ukraine. In response, the owner of SpaceX called Sikorski a salivating imbecile, which caused a small international storm.

This exchange, however, obscured the heart of the issue. The OSINT group InformNapalm took a closer look at the matter and published an extensive report.

Back in 2024, the installation of Starlink terminals on Russian unmanned aerial vehicles was treated as an experiment. However, at the turn of 2025 and 2026, the situation changed dramatically. According to an analysis published by InformNapalm, this practice has become a systemic practice that has become a technological enhancement of Russia’s combat capabilities.

The Russian military is using Elon Musk’s satellite internet to solve its biggest frontline problem: Ukrainian electronic warfare systems. Starlink terminals mounted on drones ensure stable control even in conditions of active GPS jamming and spoofing. Data transmission takes place in real time, drones have increased range and greater precision of strikes.

The report lists specific UAV models on which American equipment has been identified. These include: Shahed (Geran) drones with a range of up to 2,000 km, Molniya tactical FPV drones (used by the Rubicon unit since December 2025) and BM-35 long-range drones. The latter, equipped with Starlinks, took part in the January attacks on the Dnieper and Odessa.

Since SpaceX does not officially sell services to Russia, where does the aggressor get the terminals from? The answer is: parallel import. Nordsint’s OSINT investigation, cited by InformNapalm, reveals metastasis routes through Dubai and Central Asia.

Shipping documents from May 2024 confirm the transport of equipment from supplier Dubai World Central (UAE) to Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan). Starlink terminals are falsely classified in invoices. Instead of being classified as telecommunications equipment, they are reported under a code that corresponds to motor vehicle parts and accessories. This allows the vigilance of customs services to be lulled and electronics are brought in en masse and then sent to the front. Devices are activated on accounts registered outside Russia.

The use of this technology has a direct impact on civilian safety. On January 27, 2026, Russian drones attacked passenger train No. 47/103 on the Barwienkowo-Czop route, which was carrying almost 300 people. According to experts, the attacking Shaheds were equipped with Starlink connectivity. Operators saw in real time that they were hitting passenger carriages – one drone hit the tracks in front of the locomotive, another directly into the carriage.

#Russia scaling up #Starlink use on attack drones despite #sanctions. This is not speculation. It’s documented. Sources included. Available in 12 languages ​​⤵️ https://t.co/ORe5n18V1P

Accountability matters. Silence kills. pic.twitter.com/6srjjcjIwY

— InformNapalm (@InformNapalm) January 29, 2026

In the face of the growing threat, Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Radosław Sikorski, publicly asked Elon Musk why he is not taking action to prevent Russia from using his infrastructure. SpaceX has technical geofencing capabilities – in 2022, Musk turned off communications over Crimea to thwart a Ukrainian attack on the Russian fleet.

However, the billionaire’s response was far from diplomatic standards. Musk wrote to the head of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

This drooling imbecile doesn’t even realize that Starlink is the backbone of Ukraine’s military communications.

The owner of SpaceX refused to take any action, justifying it with alleged concern for Ukrainian communications, even though experts indicate the possibility of selective blocking of terminals used by the aggressor.