Ukraine’s defense adviser says Russia’s Barrage-1 stratospheric platform could partly replace blocked Starlink terminals with 5G relay capability.
Russia’s stratospheric unmanned platform Barrage-1 could partially compensate for Starlink satellite terminals disabled by the United States, according to Sergey Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukraine’s defense minister known by the call sign «Flash». He shared that assessment in an interview with Ukrainian media.
Beskrestnov said the system’s primary function is to operate as a 5G mobile communications relay, effectively offering an alternative to satellite links. Such platforms, he suggested, could deliver high-speed internet across wide areas where deploying conventional ground infrastructure is difficult.
Earlier, the American company SpaceX began blocking Starlink terminals used in the combat zone in Ukraine. In early February 2026, SpaceX chief Elon Musk stated that the move was intended to prevent Russian servicemen from using the terminals.
Roughly two weeks later, reports emerged about the launch of the first Barrage-1 unit. The Russian platform is said to be capable of carrying up to 100 kilograms of payload to an altitude of about 20 kilometers.