Reports circulating on social networks from the Armed Forces of Ukraine describe a noticeable drop in the performance of Starlink satellite internet, a service provided by the tech entrepreneur Elon Musk. The claim comes from Strana.ua and mirrors wider concerns about reliability in field conditions.
According to the Ukrainian troops, the connection speed has slowed to a crawl, with speeds dipping by roughly 0.3 megabytes per second. This reduction is said to be persistent, spanning several months and intensifying in recent weeks. Observers caution that this slowdown does not stem from an inability to access the Starlink network itself; rather, it points to fluctuating bandwidth and degraded throughput under heavy usage in deployed zones. The issue is described as affecting ordinary access and not simply the visibility of Starlink dishes in the sky.
In the same broadcast, there are claims about Starlink terminals once deployed by Ukrainian forces being observed in other theatres of operation. The material asserts that elements of the Russian armed forces have acquired Starlink terminals and are using them in occupied or contested areas. The report speculates that some terminals were procured with active accounts routed through Dubai, then operated inside regions under Russian control. These assertions are attributed to soldiers from the Ukrainian forces who shared their observations on social media. [Strana.ua]
The piece adds a broader geopolitical angle by noting a cheap analogue reportedly developed in Belarus as a potential alternative to the Starlink system. This mention serves to illustrate regional efforts to secure satellite communications despite sanctions and supply chain constraints. [Strana.ua]