NEW YORK (VINnews) — A dramatic move by Elon Musk is reshaping the battlefield in Ukraine: SpaceX has recently begun an unprecedented campaign to block Starlink terminals allegedly used illegally by the Russian military in occupied territories. The sudden disruption of the satellite communications network led to what was described as a near-total paralysis of Russian coordination capabilities, contributing to a sharp rise in casualties among Putin’s forces, according to a report published Monday by the New York Post.

For months, Russian forces reportedly managed to circumvent sanctions and acquire Starlink terminals through third countries, using them to coordinate drone operations and enable precise artillery navigation. SpaceX’s latest measures,including software updates and location-based geofencing, are said to have neutralized thousands of devices used by Russian units along the front lines. Military sources noted that without high-speed connectivity, Russian field units lost the ability to communicate with command centers in real time.

The report cites troubling data for Moscow: since the blocking operation began, Russian forces have seen a significant spike in casualty rates across combat zones. Without reliable drone support for surveillance and strike missions, Russian troops became far more vulnerable to Ukrainian ambushes and rapid artillery responses. “Russian forces were left blind and deaf on the battlefield,” the report stated, emphasizing that the technological advantage they had sought to leverage collapsed almost instantly.

Beyond operational setbacks, the loss of satellite internet access also reportedly affected logistics systems and troop morale, as Russian soldiers had relied on the network for secure internal communications.

While Ukraine continues to enjoy full authorized access to Starlink services, the technological gap between the sides appears to have widened once again. Security analysts believe Moscow will attempt to develop alternative technological solutions, but for now the disruption is viewed as a major blow that could significantly delay Russia’s planned summer offensives.