Russian Forces ‘Destroying Themselves’ as Starlink Shutdown Sparks Friendly Fire – Atesh Partisans

Widespread failures of Starlink terminals inside Russia’s armed forces have crippled battlefield command and sparked deadly incidents of friendly fire, according to Ukrainian partisans.

The Atesh partisan movement said Russian units in both eastern and southern Ukraine are struggling to communicate after losing access to Starlink, leaving commanders unable to control their troops.

Sources inside Russia’s 122nd Motorized Rifle Regiment near Kupyansk and the 1152nd Regiment in the Zaporizhzhia region say troop command has been “effectively paralyzed,” Atesh said.

With Starlink terminals largely offline, Russian communications officers are reportedly in disarray. Attempts to deploy backup communication channels are failing, while Russian electronic warfare systems are regularly jamming even their own radios.

“Without stable communications on the front line, chaos begins,” Atesh said. “The lack of coordination is already leading to heavy losses – and not only from enemy fire.”

One such incident reportedly occurred in the Zaporizhzhia region, where a complete breakdown in communications led to friendly fire. Russian units, unaware of each other’s positions, opened fire on their own forces, destroying an assault group of 12 soldiers, the partisans said.

“Russia’s dependence on civilian technology has turned against it,” Atesh said. “Once communications disappear, command collapses, and troops begin destroying themselves.”

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The communications breakdown follows a recent decision by Elon Musk and SpaceX to disable Starlink terminals used by Russian forces in Ukraine, cutting off internet access along an estimated 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) stretch of the front line.

Ukrainian electronic warfare expert Serhiy “Flash” Beskrestnov said nearly all Russian frontline units reliant on Starlink have lost the ability to transmit secure data, leaving commanders unable to coordinate attacks.

Some Russian units, according to Russian milbloggers, have been forced to revert to paper maps and couriers carrying memory sticks.

The move came after Ukrainian officials flagged Russia’s growing use of Starlink-connected systems, including kamikaze drones used in attacks on civilian targets.

In response, SpaceX introduced a “whitelist” system, allowing only verified and authorized Starlink terminals to operate in Ukraine and effectively disabling grey and black-market devices.

“The enemy doesn’t just have a problem – it’s a disaster,” Beskrestnov said. “Command has collapsed, and assaults have stopped in many areas.”

Ukrainian military briefings in recent days have also reported reduced combat intensity in several sectors, though fighting continues along parts of the front.