Ukraine depends on Starlink for its drone warfare. Russia also appears to be avoiding restrictions on using the devices

(CNN) — Ukrainian troops on the front line say they are experiencing connection problems with Elon Musk’s vital Starlink internet service, which is used to operate Kiev’s fleet of attack drones, as they report increased usage of Russian devices despite being restricted by US sanctions.

In a series of interviews at the front line, Ukrainian soldiers have said connection speeds have slowed in recent months and reported other connection problems. The complaints coincided with increased Ukrainian viewing of satellite internet service by Russia, a service run by Musk’s SpaceX, as well as social media posts in which Russian financiers claim they are successfully circumventing restrictions on Russian use of the equipment. Third countries.

The reason for the reports of disrupted service in Ukraine is unclear, and Starlink, SpaceX and Musk declined to comment. However, soldiers and analysts suggested that there may be more Starlink devices in the disputed areas than months ago, on both sides of the lines, which could affect the speed of connectivity.

Starlink Internet service has provided Ukraine’s small army with a significant frontline advantage since the 2022 invasion, allowing its forces to share real-time drone footage between units and communicate in areas where fighting has disrupted cell phone service.

A communications operator in the Zaporizhia region, who asked to be called Misha, told CNN that the problems began in the past three weeks. “We started seeing poor quality connections,” he said.

“It interrupts all the time, it needs to be restarted to start working properly. But soon the speed starts to slow down and the connection breaks again. It brings very unpleasant complications to his work,” he added.

He said bad weather may have been a factor, though CNN has spoken to units on the front lines reporting similar problems.

Another drone operator, the commander of one of dozens of units flying single-use attack drones against Russian targets, also in the Zaporizhzhya region, said his unit’s problems began in January.

A frontline Ukrainian paramedic uses a Starlink Internet connection in a basement home as Russian missiles land near the surface in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine on February 20, 2023. (Credit: John Moore/Getty Images)

“Before the New Year, the speed was much higher,” said Anton, commander of the 65th Mechanized Brigade. “Now it’s reduced by half. I saw the Russians buying Starlink (devices) through neutral countries and using them on the Zaporizhia front line for their purposes.”

He said the same number of Starlink satellites are now serving twice as many units, so, “of course, the speed has decreased.”

Multiple Ukrainian units on the frontline told CNN they had experienced speed issues with Starlink and noted Russian use, but declined to be named while discussing the sensitive issue.

Ukrainian officials first raised the alarm about Russian use of Starlink in early February, suggesting they were working with SpaceX and Musk to reduce Moscow’s access to frontline units. However, they declined to comment for this article, with some experts citing the need to keep an unpredictable businessman on board as a reason for discretion.

“Musk is a big kid, so it’s important to talk to him here and not upset him because he may make some quick decisions that may not be very good for everyone,” said Oleg Kutkov, a Kiev-based internet analyst. He said Starlink should be able to restrict access to Russian-controlled terminals, but their purchase by third countries by Russian financiers could complicate the task.

“The problem is identifying the real owner of the account. It could be that there are two terminals in one place, both (bought) from Poland, and one is working for the Ukrainian side and one is working for the Russian side. And SpaceX just doesn’t know. Who should be blocked,” he said.

In an effort to prevent Russian use of Starlink in the occupied territories, Ukraine has sought to impose new legal conditions on satellite communications, such as Starlink terminals, creating a “white list” of registered devices authorized for use by Kiev. SpaceX, which owns Starlink, has sought advice from the Pentagon, according to a person familiar with the matter, on how to meet the challenge of both meeting Kiev’s desire for Starlink to make Ukrainian forces accessible to Ukrainian territory, as well as denying it. Russian forces service in frontline areas where opposing sides are often so close that it is difficult to determine the user of each terminal.

Behind-the-scenes diplomacy has been extremely delicate, according to another source familiar with those discussions. Ukrainian officials, for their part, have quietly communicated with SpaceX representatives and US officials in recent days about the importance of implementing an official terminal whitelist system.

Although the Starlink devices are firmly under Ukrainian military control, there is concern among Ukrainian officials that the Russians could hijack or hack their communications. The SBU, Ukraine’s intelligence service, claimed last year that Russian military hackers were trying to steal battlefield communications sent to Starlink terminals from the mobile devices of Ukrainian soldiers.

A Pentagon spokesman, Jeff Jurgensen, referred questions to the Ukrainian government, saying: “While we are aware of reports on this issue and expect that Russia will try to take advantage of any technology that could give them an operational advantage against Ukraine, we have none. Additional details . or information to be provided.”

In February, Musk responded to Ukrainian claims that the Russians were using Starlink by saying that his company does not do business with the Russian government, and that the system would not work in Russia.

But Starlink was unclear whether the technology could work in Russian-held areas of Ukraine.

“If SpaceX learns that a Starlink terminal is being used by an authorized or unauthorized party, we will investigate the claim and, if confirmed, take steps to disable the terminal,” the company said in a statement at the time.

A Ukrainian serviceman stands next to a vehicle carrying the Starlink satellite internet system near the front line in Ukraine’s Donetsk region on February 27, 2023. (Credit: Lisi Nizner/Reuters)

In recent months, Russian social media channels run by financiers have been increasingly open about the Starlink purchase.

One of those providers, who posted messages on the Telegram messaging app under the alias Katya Valya, shared a video showing a woman handing over several drones to two Russian soldiers, but also five Starlink terminals. He promised 30 at a later date, and also posted images of a stack of 20 apparently donated Starlink units. Another blogger, Cedarwoods, posted images of donated Starlinks and described damage to a Russian unit after a “lucky” Ukrainian hit.

Ukrainian units are also releasing images of multiple drone strikes on Russian trenches where Starlink terminals have been spotted. CNN also obtained video of a Russian drone broadcasting from the front lines, in which the unit attacks a Ukrainian vehicle, suggesting that Moscow has sought to replicate the success of a fleet of cheap, single-use attack drones from Kiev.

Democrats on the US Congressional Oversight Committee have written to Starlink demanding an immediate briefing on Russian use of the equipment, expressing “serious concern” that Moscow is using a terminal in occupied Ukraine in violation of American sanctions.

“We are concerned that they may not have the appropriate rails and policies in place to ensure that their technology is not directly or indirectly acquired or used illegally by Russia,” the commission wrote earlier this month.

— CNN’s Sean Lingas contributed to this report.