Ukrainian forces regained about 400 square kilometers of territory after SpaceX disabled Starlink satellite communication terminals that Russian troops had been using in occupied parts of Ukraine. Bloomberg reports that this is stated in a Pentagon Defense Intelligence Agency assessment.
According to US analysts, this was the first notable Ukrainian advance since 2023. The report says the Russian army experienced a “temporary but significant” drop in combat capability after the terminals were deactivated. It adds that Starlink had been used by Russian units to coordinate attacks and operate drones in areas with unstable communications.
Bloomberg also notes that in early 2026, Russian forces faced two problems at once. In addition to the Starlink shutdown, the situation was affected by disruptions to Telegram, which Russian authorities began blocking.
What happened to Starlink
In February, SpaceX began blocking terminals that were not registered with Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense. Kyiv had previously called on the company more than once to disable devices that had reached the Russian military through third countries.
The front-line situation
In May, Ukrainian drones began stepping up attacks on Moscow and other Russian cities. At the same time, according to Meduza in its military briefing, the situation for the Russian army at the front has also been developing poorly.
The outlet says the Russian offensive has slowed on nearly all fronts. This is especially true of the operation around the Kramatorsk and Sloviansk agglomeration, which is considered central to Russia’s strategy for capturing the Donbas.
Ukraine’s position
On May 21, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the war with Russia had reached a “turning point” and pressure on Moscow was increasing. In his words, the Russian army’s numerical advantage “is no longer a decisive factor”.
“A new impulse is needed for peace efforts, while at the same time strengthening our special long-range sanctions and other levers of influence,” he said.