The Russian military, after turning off some of the Starlink terminals at the front, began using schemes with equipment registered to citizens of Ukraine. The Russian publication “Verstka” reported this on April 23.
Since the beginning of 2026, the Russian military has encountered communication problems – some Starlink terminals have stopped working due to the lack of Ukrainian verification.
According to Russian media, in response to this, offers of so-called white Starlink devices appeared on the market – devices registered to citizens of Ukraine.
The article notes that in order to circumvent the restrictions, the terminals are first delivered to Ukraine, where they are registered in the name of front persons or companies. After this, the equipment is transported to Russia or the occupied territories.
After conducting their own investigation, Vestka journalists found out that sellers, in addition to sales, also offer remote verification through “trusted persons,” and sometimes even through the Ukrainian military.
“Starlink is sent to Russia via Europe or Crimea. The login and password from the “drop” device is transferred to the military to replenish the account. Prices vary depending on the model: Starlink-mini with a subscription for 3–12 months costs from 74 thousand to 121 thousand rubles. [около $800–1300]and Starlink Gen3 – from 88 thousand to 138 thousand rubles. [около $950–1500]”, the publication wrote.
At the same time, the material emphasizes that even such schemes do not guarantee stable operation. According to interlocutors among the Russian military, the terminals can be turned off, and reactivation does not always produce results.
“We bought [белые Starlink]but spend 150 thousand rubles every month. expensive. Nobody gives guarantees,” notes a Russian Army serviceman.
In addition, Adviser to the Minister of Defense on technological issues Sergei Beskrestnov (Flash) reported on Telegram that Starlink terminals can reach the occupiers using the old scheme – through captured Ukrainian drones.
“A Starlink drone flew to the guys. Here, unlike the UAV, it was clear that it was working. The check showed that Starlink had previously been installed on our drone and was not submitted for deactivation after the loss of the drone,” Flesh emphasized.
