SpaceX is resorting to drastic measures to prevent the Russian military from accessing Starlink on smuggled satellite dishes: whitelisting the terminals that are allowed to operate in Ukraine.
“Soon, only verified and registered terminals will operate in Ukraine. Everything else will be disconnected,” Ukraine’s Minster of Defense, Mykhailo Fedorov, posted on Telegram.
Russian military forces have repeatedly found ways to harness SpaceX’s satellite internet system. SpaceX and the Pentagon have tried to stamp out such use, but in recent weeks, Russia has outfitted drones with Starlink dishes to help them carry out “hundreds” of attacks inside Ukraine.
(Photo by Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
In response, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said the company has been working to cut off the access. “Looks like the steps we took to stop the unauthorized use of Starlink by Russia have worked,” he said this weekend, without elaborating.
Although Fedorov thanked SpaceX for the efforts, he tweeted that the initial crackdown is only the “first steps that delivered rapid results in countering Russian drones.”
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“In the coming days, we will share instructions for Ukrainian users to register their Starlink terminals for verification. Unverified terminals will be disabled,” he added. “The registration process will be simple, fast, and user-friendly. Detailed instructions will be published shortly.”
His Telegram post adds that the Ukrainian government “adopted a resolution” to impose the whitelist, while explaining that Russian drones equipped with Starlink dishes have been difficult to shoot down. “The only technical solution to counteract this is the introduction of a ‘white list’ and authorization of all terminals. At the initiative of the Ukrainian government, we are implementing it in cooperation with SpaceX,” he added.
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The Ukrainian government posted more details, which says the verification process to register a Starlink dish for civilians and businesses will begin on Tuesday. When the whitelist will take effect was left unclear.
Although SpaceX has always blocked Starlink access in Russia, the Kremlin has reportedly been sourcing Starlink dishes in other foreign markets so that its soldiers can use them along the borders and inside Ukraine. It’s unclear why SpaceX is only using the whitelisting approach now. But Starlink has been crucial to the wartime communications in Ukraine for both civilians and the country’s military. So this approach could disrupt legitimate communications within Ukraine.
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About Our Expert
Michael Kan
Senior Reporter
Experience
I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. Earlier this year, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how President Trump’s tariffs will affect the industry. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.