Ukraine’s defence minister has said Russia is equipping its drones with Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite systems, the Interfax news agency reported.
Speaking at a drone military event yesterday, Mykhailo Fedorov said:Â
“Today, the Russians launched drones using Starlink. We need to respond very quickly. The speed of our response, forecasting future incidents, and reacting to potential threats must ensure that we prevent problems for our people and our military.”
A Kyiv government adviser reported that Russian BM-35 strike drones, equipped with Starlink, can fly up to 500km and already reach the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, according to the report.
Fedorov previously helped improve connectivity for Ukraine’s armed forces at the frontline by deploying Starlink terminals when he served as digital transformation minister.
Elon Musk has so far not commented on the report, which Sky News has not independently verified.
The Institute for the Study of War, in its latest update, notes there have been an increasing number of reports of Russia using Starlink.