Any degradation of Russia’s battlefield capabilities could shift leverage in Ukraine’s favor as the US pushes for a negotiated end to the conflict, analysts have said. The elimination of Starlink has also affected the Russian military’s communication systems and methods, affecting the most basic of tools needed to conduct their war. “I’m sure the Russians have [alternative options], but it takes time to maximize their implementation and this [would take] at least four to six months,” Yaroslavsky said. Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is having a harder time backfilling his troops in Ukraine as kill rates soar. via REUTERS Russia’s Rubikon drone unit, for example, saw its activity sharply drop after the restrictions took effect. The unit had been using Starlink to extend the range of strike drones and coordinate attacks deep behind Ukrainian lines — giving Moscow a technological edge in key sectors of the front. The group typically posts geographic details about its strikes to Telegram, but has since stopped the practice, “suggesting that SpaceX’s decision to restrict Russian forces’ access to Starlink on February 1 has been negatively impacting Rubikon’s strike campaign,” the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War said in its latest battlefield update on Sunday. Starlink has been a backbone of Ukraine’s military communications since the invasion, but Russian forces increasingly exploited the same technology — raising alarms in Kyiv and Washington that a US-made system was helping Moscow wage war. For now, Russian troops are scrambling for alternatives — but none match Starlink’s speed, mobility and reliability on the battlefield. Filed under