Arrests in the Odesa Region
Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) has apprehended two Ukrainian citizens in the Odesa region for illegally registering Starlink terminals for Russian occupying forces. The detainees are a 36-year-old unemployed man and a 28-year-old unemployed woman from Izmail, who agreed to help the occupiers by registering the terminals through Administrative Service Centers (ASCs). For each registration, they were promised a payment of 30 US dollars (approximately 1,200 hryvnias). This case highlights the ongoing internal security challenges Ukraine faces during the war.
Searches and Consequences
During searches, law enforcement officers seized mobile phones containing evidence of their activities. The confiscated materials included correspondence with Russian handlers, instructions for legalizing the equipment, and coordination on methods of receiving payment. SBU investigators have notified the detainees of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 2 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which pertains to state treason committed under martial law by a group of persons in a prior conspiracy. The sanction of this article provides for punishment in the form of life imprisonment.
Both individuals are currently in custody. According to the SBU, the detainees attempted to activate as many such devices as possible, involving other people in the scheme. It was established that to carry out their plans, they intended to recruit someone from among local drug addicts.
- Collaborative work with SpaceX on technical solutions aimed at restricting the Russian military's use of the Starlink system.
- On February 1, 2026, SpaceX blocked unauthorized terminals used by the Russian army.
- A large-scale verification of Starlink equipment has launched in Ukraine, under which only devices on a 'white list' could operate.
This situation underscores the critical importance of controlling technological infrastructures that can be exploited during conflict. Ukraine's cooperation with SpaceX to limit Russian forces' access to Starlink is part of a broader national security defense strategy. The detection and arrest of individuals collaborating with the aggressor demonstrates the proactive efforts of law enforcement agencies in countering threats under martial law.