A new report warns that Russia and China are escalating efforts to undermine SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network due to its use in Ukraine’s defense operations. The findings come from the Secure World Foundation (SWF), a nonpartisan think tank that released a 316-page assessment of global counterspace capabilities on 3 April. Covering activity from February 2024 to February 2025, the report highlights how space-based infrastructure, such as Starlink, is increasingly viewed as a military asset.
Ukraine began relying on Starlink in 2022 to maintain internet connectivity and secure communication after its own systems were disrupted during the Russian invasion. While the system proved crucial early on, Ukrainian officials reported connection outages in May 2024, attributing them to advanced Russian electronic warfare systems. The SWF report confirms that “Russia has used at least three Tobol installations to try and disrupt Starlink commercial satellite signals over Eastern Ukraine,” citing leaked U.S. military documents.
Russia and China Accelerate “Starlink Killer” Tech
The SWF findings indicate that Russia is developing a more advanced electronic warfare system called Kalinka, designed to disrupt SpaceX’s Starlink communications and interfere with Ukrainian military operations. The head of Russia’s Center for Unmanned Systems and Technologies described Kalinka as a potential “Starlink killer” capable of detecting terminals linked to Starshield, a more secure, military-grade version of Starlink.
Meanwhile, China is exploring unconventional anti-satellite technologies. In mid-2024, researchers from the People’s Liberation Army Navy proposed using laser-equipped submarines with retractable masts to target SpaceX’s Starlink satellites. However, they acknowledged that precise targeting would depend on external satellite positioning data.
The report also notes that Russia interfered with GPS signals across several European nations, including France, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, and even hijacked children’s television programming to broadcast war imagery. Investigators linked the source of the interference to stations in Moscow, Kaliningrad, and Pavlovka.
Global Risks Highlighted by Secure World Foundation Report
“A future conflict in space could have massive, long-term negative repercussions that are felt here on Earth, as everyone on this planet is a user of space data in some form,” the report cautions. Victoria Samson, director of SWF’s Washington office, told Breaking Defense, “Everyone is jamming.”
Despite the mounting threats, the report notes that as of February 2025, Starlink has remained “remarkably resistant to further cyber attacks.” However, with the U.S. Space Force also developing satellite jammers for its own defense, the landscape of space as a military domain continues to evolve rapidly.
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