Russia's Starlink alternatives are turning into a targeting tool for Ukrainian forces, a sergeant from the "Height Predators" battalion of the Ukrainian 59th Separate Assault Brigade of Unmanned Systems told Army TV on 2 March. The Wi-Fi bridge antennas Russia deployed after losing Starlink access require exposed placement that reveals drone pilot positions and electronic warfare stations.
Antenna as a target marker
Sgt. Roman Pidlubnyi of the 1st "Height Predators" battalion said Russian forces have found a Starlink alternative, but dismissed it as "so-so." The replacement relies on Wi-Fi bridge antennas that need a clear line of sight with no obstructions to function.
"Their technical specs require placing them on a surface with no obstacles blocking them, and that helps us detect and strike them," Pidlubnyi said.
He explained the chain: once Ukrainian operators spot an antenna, they know a drone pilot position, an electronic warfare station, or another asset sits nearby.
"If there's, say, an antenna, we find the antenna, and accordingly, that's either a pilot position, an EW position, or something else," Pidlubnyi said.
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Command-level internet broken
Russia's reconnaissance Mavic drones continue operating normally in eastern Ukraine, Pidlubnyi noted, adding that he believes the communications disruption did not affect their tactical drone flights.
But the problem runs deeper at command level. Ukrainian forces have intercepted Russian drone operators communicating with their commanders over radio — a sign that the Wi-Fi bridge alternative cannot provide stable internet for coordination.
"There are many intercepts showing their pilots communicate with their command over radio, and that already indicates they really do have major internet connectivity problems," Pidlubnyi said.
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