What happened

The Coordinating Headquarters on the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported instances in which Russian security forces are putting pressure on relatives of Ukrainian prisoners and demanding that they officially register Starlink satellite communication terminals. This came after the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, in cooperation with engineers from SpaceX, shut down a number of illegal terminals that, according to reports, the Russians used for unit communications and for controlling UAVs.

“Seeking a way out of the difficult position they found themselves in, the occupiers turned their attention to the families of prisoners. Cases have been recorded of threats and demands to officially register Starlink terminals in their names. That equipment would then be used against Ukraine and Ukrainians.”

— Coordinating Headquarters on the Treatment of Prisoners of War

Why this matters and is dangerous

Officially registering a terminal requires identity verification — so a record of the owner appears in the systems. If such a terminal is later used to control drones that damage infrastructure or harm people, the registered person may come under suspicion of involvement. In other words, forcing someone under pressure to sign on to a risk is a way to legalize equipment for subsequent attacks.

Context: on January 29 the Ministry of Defense reported joint work with SpaceX on the problem of Starlink being used on Russian drones; on February 1 Mykhailo Fedorov reported a plan to disable unverified terminals; on February 7 there were reports that Russians were looking for ways to reactivate terminals, including by recruiting Ukrainians for money.

What families and society should do

The Coordinating Headquarters and law enforcement advise: do not register terminals under pressure, document threats and seek help. Collecting evidence (screenshots, call recordings, testimony) increases the chances of bringing those responsible to account and protecting families.

It is also important to use official verification channels and follow instructions for the legal registration of equipment — these procedures exist to separate civilian use from hostile use. In case of offers or threats, one should immediately contact the Coordinating Headquarters and law enforcement agencies.

What’s next

This is an example of how the enemy is trying to turn humanitarian ties into a tool of pressure. The task now for technical partners and law enforcement is to turn warnings into mechanisms that protect families and ensure verification, so that responsibility for the use of equipment rests with the actual users, not with those who are forced to sign documents.