Russian Duma Threatens Starlink With Nuclear Retaliation After SpaceX Cut Off Russian Terminals
Updated
Updated · UNITED24 Media · May 26
Russian Duma Threatens Starlink With Nuclear Retaliation After SpaceX Cut Off Russian Terminals
2 articles · Updated · UNITED24 Media · May 26
Russia's State Duma warned SpaceX that Starlink's use by Ukraine "could" trigger weapons that would "leave no trace," and ordered a draft appeal urging foreign parliaments to stop aiding what it called terrorists.
The threat followed SpaceX's early-2026 shutdown of unauthorized Russian Starlink terminals, a move Ukrainian officials coordinated that slowed Russian advances and helped Ukraine retake about 400 square kilometers.
Moscow tied the escalation to a May 22 strike on occupied Starobilsk, which Ukraine said hit the Rubikon drone unit headquarters while Russia claimed a dormitory was struck.
After that incident, Russian forces launched a May 24 missile-and-drone barrage on Kyiv that killed 4 people and injured 65, with Ukrainian officials saying non-military sites including schools, homes and cultural institutions were hit.
The Duma warning came after state TV host Vladimir Solovyov had already called for a nuclear detonation in space to destroy Starlink satellites, signaling a broader Russian push to frame the network as a military target.
Are Russia's threats a bluff, or do recent satellite failures signal a secret war in space?
With Starlink now a military target, who is responsible for defending private assets in orbit?
Is Russia's new hypersonic missile erasing the line between conventional and nuclear war?
Nuclear Threats in Orbit: Russia, Starlink, and the High-Stakes Battle for Satellite Dominance in Ukraine
Overview
The report highlights how SpaceX’s Starlink became a critical tool in the Ukraine conflict, with Russian forces using Starlink terminals on drones to bypass jamming and strike targets. After Ukrainian authorities discovered this, they appealed to SpaceX, leading Elon Musk to announce measures that disrupted Russian use of Starlink around February 5, 2026. This disruption triggered strong reactions in Russia, including public calls for a nuclear detonation in space to destroy Starlink satellites, and prompted Russia’s Security Council to draft new information security policies. The situation underscores the growing risks as private technology becomes central in modern warfare.