September 14, 2026: Russia has developed a new jammer, VKG, or Volna Kupol Grant (Грант «Волна-Купол). A new ground-based EW (electronic warfare) system, Russia’s latest attempt to disrupt Starlink satellite communications, has each VKG unit allegedly capable of jamming up to eight transmission bands simultaneously. Each VKG system provides 360-degree coverage and weighs about 120 kg. One soldier can operate a VKG unit, which protects vulnerable electronics within a four-kilometer radius.

According to those who created VKG, the jammer saturates the satellites’ antennae, blocking the signal and allowing VKG operators to disrupt communications without damaging the Starlink satellite.

Unlike conventional EW (Electronic Warfare) systems that disrupt signals near the receiver, VKG uses narrow-beam, high-frequency transmissions to target the satellites themselves. It can also be used in multiple ways: if VKG beams a Starlink bird, it may damage that satellite.

The developer also claims the disruption can persist beyond the initial attack, as affected satellites may require maintenance before returning to normal operation.

A VKG system consists of six trailer-mounted containers, each using two steerable satellite antennas housed inside protective radio-transparent domes. Each VKG unit can block Starlink signals in an area of up to 20 square kilometers. VKG signals are in the 14- to 14.5-gigahertz frequency range and have a disruption range of up to 16 kilometers.

A Starlink receiver and antenna on a drone let it be guided precisely to its target, if it isn't shot down, and stay in contact until the last split second. Russian forces in Ukraine realized that if they didn’t find a solution to this satellite constellation problem quickly, there would be higher losses from more accurate Starlink-assisted Ukrainian drones.

The latest Starlink modification, in addition to the communication channel, provides alternative navigation, which, unlike GPS, has very high interference immunity. It also has an extremely narrow communication beam, which is difficult to detect and virtually impossible to jam with conventional electronic warfare systems.

Moreover, such a terminal costs far less than a four-ton Reaper surveillance drone. The Americans can integrate it into many of their weapons systems, including Tomahawks, JASSMs, and the new Precision Strike Missile, which has a range of 150 kilometers and is launched from a HIMARS vehicle.

This revolutionary evolution in military affairs has had an extraordinary impact on the war in Ukraine. SpaceX, the firm that created and controls the Starlink satellite network, can block Russian access to its black-market Starlink systems and diminish the effectiveness of Russian forces.

The Russians aren’t the only ones having misadventures with Starlink equipment. Last year, Starlink was suspected of playing a role in the outcome of a Red Sea conflict. Yemen’s Shia Houthi rebels had been devastated by weeks of intense Israeli and American airstrikes. These attacks continued with increasing accuracy. The Houthis couldn’t do anything about satellite or aerial surveillance, so they turned to nearby suspects. That meant searching for and seizing Starlink terminals owned by Yemeni families and businesses. Starlink is a simple, inexpensive system that connects anyone to thousands of Starlink satellites orbiting Earth. This gives users access to electronic media worldwide. Much of it is free or easy to steal. Starlink's widespread use in Yemen led the Houthis to believe it was the key means for disloyal locals to let the enemy know where Houthi weapons and other assets were.

Starlink played a small role in finding and identifying targets for airstrikes. All its satellites carry optical sensors, which software using multiple Starlink satellites converts into VLA/Very Large Array cameras capable of picking out amazingly small details on Earth. This is invaluable for military targeting. Seizing all the local Starlink terminals only made locals angrier at the Houthi response and more willing to use their cellphones or other communication devices to let the outside world know where Houthi targets were.

The Houthis are a radical clan militia from the Shia minority in northern Yemen. For over a decade, the Houthis had been disrupting life and the economy in Yemen. Houthi control in Yemen is diminishing because of the recent air strikes.