Ukraine recaptured about 400 square kilometers of territory during a counteroffensive in early 2025, after thousands of portable Starlink internet terminals became unusable for Russian forces, Ukrainian news outlet 24tv reported, citing a Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) report.
The report describes the recapture as Kyiv’s first territorial gain since 2023. Russian military capabilities were “temporarily but significantly weakened” by the shutdown of the terminals. Russian troops had used Starlink to coordinate troop movements and drone strikes, especially in areas where communication was “unreliable or easily disrupted.”
Ukraine had already enforced the deactivation of thousands of terminals in February 2025. Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, called the loss of Starlink for the Russians “not just a problem, but a catastrophe.” Command and control collapsed, and assault operations in many sectors stopped. The blockade also hindered Russian plans for a massive deployment of unmanned boats in the Black Sea.
Source: 24tv.ua
