Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
The cooperation happened to coincide with a Kremlin-imposed ban, making things even worse for the Russian forces.
2026 has seen a shift in the war in Ukraine.
In early May, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) released an assessment of territorial gains and losses in Ukraine.
The analysis showed that Putin’s forces reportedly advanced and took control of 318 km² in January 2026, but by February those advances had plummeted to just under 123 km².
March saw Russian advances of only 23 km², and April truly turned the tables as Ukraine managed to retake approximately 116 km² from Russian forces.
Add to that Russian casualties reportedly exceeding 35,000 per month, and it is clear that Russian forces are struggling in Ukraine.
In fact, Ukraine has now gained so much momentum that it has achieved a first for the entire duration of the war.
So what has sparked this shift in momentum? According to newly declassified US intelligence, cooperation between Ukraine and SpaceX has been key.
Blank screens
For months, Russia’s frontline troops relied heavily on smuggled technology to plan their movements. Using SpaceX Starlink terminals bought through black-market networks, Russian units stayed connected during crucial operations.
But that digital lifeline suddenly vanished. Bloomberg reported on Friday that a newly declassified US defense intelligence report detailed how these illicit devices were systematically shut down.
The impact on Moscow’s forces was immediate and severe. Without stable connections, commanders struggled to coordinate reconnaissance missions and drone strikes.
According to the intelligence assessment, this massive digital blackout helped Ukrainian forces push forward. Kyiv managed to reclaim nearly 400 square kilometers of territory earlier this year.
Blindsided on the front lines
The crackdown happened in February when Ukrainian teams worked directly with SpaceX. Together, they established geographic restrictions to block unauthorized terminals from operating in combat zones.
What was especially damaging for the Russian military was the Kremlin-imposed restrictions on the popular Telegram messaging app. These restrictions sparked widespread protests among troops on the front line, who warned the Kremlin that Telegram played a crucial role in battlefield communications. Nevertheless, the Kremlin pushed ahead with the restrictions.
Losing both tools at once created widespread confusion. Ukrainian military sources reported that the sudden double blow heavily disrupted Russian command structures on the ground.
Shifting the momentum
Despite the success, Ukrainian officials emphasize that technological restrictions were not the only reason for their recent battlefield gains. Many factors played a role in the successful counteroffensive.
Kyiv Post cited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as saying that “the operation in the south… began a month before the decision regarding Starlink.”
Still, the technical blockade clearly weakened the opposing forces. Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov noted that combining the Starlink restrictions with medium-range strike drones helped shift momentum in Ukraine’s favor.
Sources: Institute for the Study of War, Bloomberg, Kyiv Post
