Starlink is a system of satellites that act as phone towers and are arranged so that one is always overhead. This makes phone use possible anywhere in the world where there are no cell towers.
Starlink has also proven very useful in the Ukraine war, for facilitating the guidance of drones. The disadvantage of drones is that, unless the drone is guided by AI, it must be guided by radio communication with it's base. This communication can be detected and jammed by the enemy. But if the drone is fitted with a Starlink terminal then it's communication with the base goes through a satellite, and is much more difficult to jam.
Both Russia and Ukraine were using Starlink for drone guidance. Earlier this year, Russia was cut off from using Starlink and this has really changed the war. But the change is not for the better.
Russia is developing it's own system but, until then, it must do without Starlink. Ukraine is only attacking targets in Russia that have military significance, while Russian drone attacks are killing a lot of civilians and have seriously damaged Dormition Cathedral in Kyiv. Russia has recently used AI drones, which select their own targets and don't need to communicate with the base, and jet-powered drones, which are much more difficult to interpret because they travel so fast.
Could Russia be sending a message that cutting off it's access to Starlink wasn't a good idea because it will mean that more civilians will die? If Russia had access to Starlink then it could attack with more accuracy and fewer civilians would die. In any case, this cutoff has impelled Russia to build more advanced and deadly drones that don't need Starlink.
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