Recent investigations reveal that vessels within Russia’s shadow fleet are employing Starlink satellite terminals for communication and coordination, aiding the country in circumventing sanctions and continuing oil shipments that finance its war against Ukraine.
The Kyiv Independent reported insights from two Ukrainian sailors who inadvertently became part of a global network facilitating Russian oil transport. These sailors, along with two other sources familiar with the shadow fleet operations, confirmed that tankers and their owners frequently rely on Western technologies, including satellite phones and Starlink terminals, for their communications.
One crew member noted the difficulty of acquiring Starlink in Ukraine, contrasting it with the ease of ordering the service through intermediary companies in other nations.
Vladyslav Vasyuk, Ukraine’s presidential representative on sanctions policy, commented on the investigation’s findings, urging SpaceX, the company behind Starlink, to halt the use of its terminals by the shadow fleet.
“Any activity by Russia’s shadow fleet effectively funds the war against Ukraine. If Starlink is being used to evade sanctions or maritime safety regulations, that is unacceptable,” Vasyuk stated.
He further pointed out that Russia is intentionally employing GPS spoofing to conceal its vessels, disrupting navigation systems and posing risks to other ships. Vasyuk described the use of Starlink for such operations as hypocritical.
“We expect SpaceX to thoroughly investigate this issue and take steps to prevent the use of Starlink by shadow fleets from any country, including Russia, Venezuela, or Iran,” he added.
Historically, Russian military forces have exploited unauthorized access to Starlink for controlling drones and other military equipment in occupied regions of Ukraine. In February 2026, the Ukrainian government, in collaboration with SpaceX, blocked this access by implementing mandatory registration and a whitelist system. However, the use of Starlink by Russia’s shadow fleet had not been reported until now.
Investigations indicate that Russia's shadow fleet is using Starlink terminals to facilitate oil transport, raising concerns about sanctions evasion and maritime safety. Ukrainian officials are calling for SpaceX to take action against this misuse.
Source: Kyiv Independent