Starlink terminals reaching Russian drones through third countries, investigation reveals

This is according to an investigation by InformNapalm.

It is known that two years ago, Russia experimentally began equipping drones with Starlink satellite systems to circumvent Ukrainian electronic warfare systems.

Documented cases of Starlink use on Russian UAVs include:

• Geran - long-range kamikaze drones (up to 2,000 km); Starlink terminals were found on downed specimens in 2024-2026.
• Molniya - tactical FPV drones (up to 50-60 km), adapted for reconnaissance and strikes, including with Starlink Mini; actively deployed by the Russian Rubicon unit since December 2025.
• VM-35 - long-range drone (up to 500 km), documented with Starlink in January 2026 during strikes on Dnipro and Odesa.

Despite Elon Musk's official claims that SpaceX does not sell Starlink terminals to Russia "directly or indirectly," the equipment continues to arrive through parallel import schemes, bypassing the ban on direct deliveries.

An OSINT investigation by Nordsint revealed that the parallel import scheme involves:

• Using Middle Eastern, Central Asian, and Southeast Asian countries as transit points;
• Activating terminals through accounts registered outside Russia;
• Legalizing equipment using fictitious or falsified customs declarations.

The author of the Nordsint investigation shared with InformNapalm a copy of an air waybill obtained from Emaross Group FZE. It confirms that in May 2024, equipment was shipped from Dubai World Central (UAE) to Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) — a route previously implicated in smuggling schemes to Russia. 

This practice typically involves deliberate misclassification of equipment: in the waybill, Starlink terminals are listed as "routers and adapters" with HS code 87089900, which corresponds to auto parts rather than telecommunications equipment. As a result, batches of Starlink accumulate and reach Russia, where they are subsequently used in military operations against Ukraine.

• On January 27, Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov confirmed the fact that Russians have begun equipping drones with Starlink satellite systems.