Russia had planned a large-scale campaign in 2026 involving the widespread use of naval drones, but these plans were reportedly affected after SpaceX introduced temporary restrictions on the use of Starlink by Russian forces at Ukraine’s request.

Axar.az reports, citing Russian media, this was stated by communications systems expert and adviser to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, Serhii Beskrestnov.

According to the report, SpaceX, at the request of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, began implementing initial countermeasures against the use of Starlink terminals by Russian military drones, with users in Ukraine already observing early restrictions. These measures were described as temporary and emergency steps.

Beskrestnov said Russian forces began attempting to replicate Ukrainian naval drone technology after observing its effectiveness on the battlefield. He noted that by the summer of the previous year, Russia already had working prototypes, and in August carried out a successful strike on the “Simferopol” vessel near the Danube Delta. He added that Russian naval drones also conducted additional strikes along the Ukrainian coastline.

He claimed that 2026 was expected to be the year of mass deployment of unmanned naval craft by Russia, but early 2026 restrictions on Starlink usage disrupted these plans.

Beskrestnov further stated that Russia was unable to equip its naval drones with reliable domestic communication systems, noting that some alternatives failed to function while others were unstable and impractical.

As a result, he said, Starlink terminals remained the only effective communication channel for naval drones operating near the Ukrainian coast, but access to this technology has now been restricted for Russian use.