Russia Intensifies Starlink Jamming Efforts to Counter Ukraine’s Long-Range Drone Strikes

In the Zaporizhzhia region, Russian forces are attempting to neutralize Ukraine’s “mid-strike” drone attacks by disguising cargo and deploying powerful jamming systems designed to interfere with Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet, according to Ukrainian drone commanders and pilots speaking to Reuters. Kyiv’s development of cost-effective, precise mid-strike drones—often operated via Starlink—that strike targets dozens of kilometers behind front lines has reshaped the conflict. This year’s sustained campaign has hit supply routes, fuel depots, air defenses, and command posts, undermining Russian logistics and causing fuel shortages in occupied Crimea.
However, Moscow is now fielding multiple countermeasures, four commanders and pilots told a Reuters team observing Ukraine’s 422nd Unmanned Systems Regiment in southern Zaporizhzhia.
JAMMING DEVICES
The tactics range from hiding shipments in civilian vehicles to sophisticated electronic jamming that severs drone control links. Ukrainian sources say Russia has installed jammers near towns and military sites, some capable of disrupting SpaceX’s Starlink service. Most Ukrainian mid-strike missions rely on Starlink for remote piloting, a connection previously thought largely jam-proof. Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukraine’s defense ministry, said Russia is deploying the “Volna Kupol Garant” system, which can destabilize Starlink across roughly 20 square kilometers; about ten have been spotted. These jammers themselves become priority targets for Ukrainian crews.
The 422nd regiment, alongside the SBU security service, has struck two such systems, including one eliminated hours after detection, according to Kolesnyk. Footage of one strike showed a massive explosion as a drone hit a site with six trailer-like boxes.
“As soon as we struck that installation, our Starlink-equipped drones flew without problems,” said a commander using the callsign “Dyryhent.” Musk has severed Russian access to Starlink to prevent Moscow’s own drone use. SpaceX and Russia’s defense ministry did not comment; Reuters could not independently verify the tactics.
MILITARY SUPPLIES IN CIVILIAN VEHICLES
During the Reuters visit, soldiers in headtorch glow loaded a high-explosive warhead into a winged “Zozulya” (Cuckoo) drone, later launched by catapult toward Crimea under darkness to target a base used by Russian drone pilots. Kolesnyk noted strikes on water tankers containing gasoline and painted milk trucks with diesel. Russian forces now use small fuel convoys escorted by pickup trucks, secondary roads, and civilian vehicles for supplies, commanders said. Ukraine’s military intelligence reported Moscow uses cars, quadbikes, and motorcycles to move fuel and ammunition, while hiding stocks in dugouts, abandoned buildings, agricultural structures, and civilian petrol stations.
Rob Lee of the Foreign Policy Research Institute said Ukraine’s mid-strikes are arguably the year’s key battlefield shift, but Russia is adapting. “If they scale production of the jammers, they could make it more difficult to conduct the middle-strike campaign,” he said. Yet the campaign hasn’t halted deadly Russian strikes on Ukraine, and Moscow still holds about a fifth of Ukrainian territory four years after its full-scale invasion. Not all Ukrainian drone strikes succeed: during the visit, a RAM-2X drone missed a fuel tanker and its surveillance partner was downed by a Tor missile system. “At least we know it’s there now,” a crewman said, logging the Tor into Ukraine’s digital targeting system for future action.

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