Ukraine regained 400 km² after Russia lost access to Starlink — WSJ

After Russian forces lost access to the Starlink satellite internet system, Ukrainian forces were able to launch an offensive and achieve their most significant territorial gains in over two years. 

The Wall Street Journal reports this.

According to the publication, Ukraine has recaptured about 400 square kilometers in the south of the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions.

After Starlink was shut down, coordination among Russian units deteriorated significantly. In particular, the effectiveness of drone operations decreased, as did the ability to quickly transmit data from the battlefield and control units.

Previously, Russian commanders used Starlink to view live feeds from drones and quickly adjust troop movements. After losing access, they were forced to rely more on radio communications, which Ukrainian forces can intercept.

Additionally, some equipment, particularly ground-based drones, has become less effective due to its reliance on satellite internet.

Russian troops are attempting to compensate for these losses by laying communication cables and using alternative systems, including Russian and Chinese satellite services. However, these solutions do not yet provide the same level of coordination.

The Ukrainian military exploited the situation to launch attacks on the enemy’s rear positions and pushed Russian forces back from the outskirts of Zaporizhzhia.

According to analysts’ estimates, following the loss of Starlink, the Russians have restored only about 60% of their previous coordination capabilities.

On the night of March 21, the Ukrainian Armed Forces struck facilities at the Saratov Oil Refinery in the Saratov region of the Russian Federation.

Earlier, about ten powerful explosions rocked the Russian cities of Saratov and Engels.

As a reminder, powerful explosions were heard at the Belbek airfield in Crimea.

Drones also attacked the Ilsk Oil Refinery and Sevastopol.