More Russian Drones Spotted with attached Starlink terminals to extend range by hundreds of kilometers

Can Elon Musk stop the abuse of Starlink by Putin the Terrible?

"Russia is reportedly equipping more drones with Starlink satellite terminals to extend their range.

Russia’s use of Starlinks – owned by US firm SpaceX – has long been a source of concern. Space X has denied operating in Russia and enforces geolocation restrictions blocking access there. ...

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) [located in Washington, DC], in its Jan. 13 update, noted that reports of Molniya drones equipped with Starlink began surfacing in December 2025, saying the combination extended the drones’ range from 50 kilometers (31 miles) to over 230 kilometers (143 miles). ..."

More Russian Drones Spotted with Starlink "After initial reports of Starlink satellite terminals being mounted on Russia’s Molniya drones to extend their range, additional drone models have also been spotted with the devices."

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, January 13, 2026