Russian forces have begun manufacturing additional electronic warfare systems to counter Ukraine's reliance on the Starlink satellite network, according to Ukrainian defense advisor Serhiy Beskrestnov.
Beskrestnov, an advisor to the President of Ukraine on technological defense development who is also known by the moniker Flash, said Russian enterprises are purchasing components to produce between 300 and 400 new jamming complexes. He noted that each individual complex is capable of covering an area of 15 to 25 square kilometres.
Russian commanders, who recently devised new defensive measures for their own drones, intend to deploy the new systems across occupied areas of Ukraine. Beskrestnov said the primary goal of the manufacturing push is to protect all important facilities in occupied territory from attacks by Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles.
Role of satellite communication
Electronic warfare involves using high-powered radio signals to disrupt, block, or jam enemy communications, radar, and navigation systems. Starlink, a satellite internet constellation operated by the American aerospace company SpaceX, provides high-speed broadband connectivity using thousands of satellites in low-Earth orbit. The system has become a crucial communications link for military units operating in areas where ground-based infrastructure has been destroyed.
The development follows reports by the American news outlet Business Insider that Ukraine's long-range strike campaign against targets inside Russia relies heavily on US technology. That technology includes Starlink satellite communications, specialized military software, and American intelligence data.
Strategic battlefield dependencies
Austrian colonel and military analyst Markus Reisner said that combining American intelligence data, artificial intelligence, and Starlink enables Ukrainian forces to conduct and maintain strike operations at medium and long ranges against Russian targets. However, Ukrainian military personnel have expressed concern that decisions made by private US companies or American authorities could suddenly restrict their battlefield capabilities at critical moments during combat.
Looking ahead, Beskrestnov stated that Ukrainian defense forces intend to adopt similar electronic warfare measures in the future to target Russia's own satellite constellation, known as Rassvet.
