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Ukraine is Securing Starlink Access: Unauthorised russian Terminals are Being Cut Off
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Ukraine has begun implementing decisive measures to prevent russia* from using Starlink connectivity for military purposes, following confirmed cases of russian drones operating over Ukrainian cities with satellite communication links.
Within hours of the first reports, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence initiated direct coordination with SpaceX, proposing technical and procedural solutions to block unauthorised terminals. The response was immediate: verification mechanisms were activated, and the first batch of russian-controlled Starlink terminals has already been disabled.
At the early stage of the full-scale invasion, Starlink terminals played a vital role in maintaining Ukraine’s resilience. The rapid decision by SpaceX to enable the service and deliver terminals to Ukraine in 2022 was critical for sustaining civilian communications, military coordination, and emergency services.
However, the appearance of russian drones equipped with illegally obtained Starlink terminals introduced a new and immediate threat. These drones are operated in real time, resistant to electronic warfare, capable of flying at low altitude, and pose a direct risk to civilians and critical infrastructure.
Ukraine’s response has been clear: technologies designed to protect democratic societies cannot be allowed to enable terror.
Whitelisting authorised terminals
The most effective countermeasure identified is the introduction of a strict “whitelist” system. Under this approach, only verified and authorised Starlink terminals are permitted to operate on Ukrainian territory.
The first group of verified terminals has already been added to the whitelist and remains fully operational. At the same time, unauthorised terminals — including those used by russian forces — have been blocked.
Whitelist updates are currently processed once per day. Authorities emphasise that this is a large-scale operation and ask users whose terminals are pending verification to allow time for processing. Work is already underway to transition the system to near real-time verification.
The next phase will introduce a system in which only authorised Starlink terminals can operate within Ukraine, effectively closing the window for misuse.
What users need to know
• Military units must submit terminal identification numbers through the DELTA system to ensure uninterrupted connectivity. Ownership transfer or sharing account credentials is not required — inclusion in the authorised whitelist is sufficient to maintain service continuity.
• Civilian users will be able to verify their terminals via administrative service centres (CNAPs).
• Legal entities will soon have access to a dedicated verification service through the Diia portal.
The verification process does not require transferring ownership of terminals or sharing account credentials. Inclusion in the authorised whitelist is sufficient to ensure continued operation after unauthorised terminals are blocked.
Ukraine continues to work closely with SpaceX and Starlink to ensure that satellite connectivity remains a defensive asset — not a weapon turned against civilians.
Editor’s note
*In this article, the words russia and russian are intentionally written in lowercase. This is a deliberate editorial choice by Digital State UA and not a typographical error. It reflects our principled stance toward the state conducting an unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine.
