From the first week of the war, Starlink provided connectivity for command posts, front-line units and drones, including sea drones. Russia also used grey-import terminals itself, until mandatory registration in February 2026 cut them off. In October 2026 a speed limit hampered Ukrainian interceptor drones; who imposed it is disputed. Starshield, the government version, also plays a role.
The full account — specifications, timeline and who claims what — is in the Drone Academy (§ 1.8); see also the Starlink / Starshield card.
Starlink shows how militarily decisive a commercial constellation can be — and how a company or a government can change the battlefield with a single decision (a whitelist, a geofence, a speed limit).
The current state of the constellation — numbers and orbits — can be followed live on the Orbital Radar Starlink tracker (see 10.6).