The Russian military is using threats to force families of Ukrainian prisoners of war to register Starlink satellite terminals, which will subsequently be used against Ukraine. This is stated in a statement by the Coordination Headquarters for Prisoners of War Issues to the Ukrainian authorities, quoted by the BBC.
According to the headquarters, after illegal Starlink terminals that are not on the so-called "white list" were disabled in Ukraine, the Russian army began to put pressure on relatives of captured Ukrainian servicemen. "Cases of threats and demands for Starlink terminals to be officially registered have been recorded. "This equipment is then used against Ukraine and Ukrainian citizens," the statement said.
The Ukrainian authorities warn that registering a terminal that is subsequently used to direct or control strikes on Ukrainian territory may result in criminal liability for the person in whose name it is registered.
The first Starlink terminals began to appear in the Russian army in the second half of 2023. According to Kiev, in most cases these are so-called "gray" devices purchased and smuggled from third countries.
In early February 2026, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense reached an agreement with the American company SpaceX to disable illegal Starlink terminals. Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly stated that this measure is aimed at limiting the use of satellite communication by Russian forces in combat operations.