The “invincibility” of satellite internet is being tested like never before. In mid-January 2026, as Iran remains under a near-total digital blackout, reports have surfaced that the regime is successfully jamming Starlink terminals using sophisticated Russian electronic warfare (EW) systems.
Amir Rashidi, a prominent cybersecurity expert at the Miaan Group, described the scale of the disruption as historic: “I have been monitoring and researching access to the internet for the past 20 years, and I have never seen such a thing in my life.”
The “Russian Connection”: Kalinka and Krasukha-4
While Iran has used GPS jammers for years, the current interference is far more advanced, leading experts to point toward Russian collaboration.
- The “Kalinka” System: Reports suggest the use of a Russian-made system nicknamed “Kalinka.” Unlike traditional bulky antennas, this mobile unit can reportedly target individual Starlink terminals within a 15-kilometer radius.
- Krasukha-4 Tech: Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) believe Iran may be utilizing expertise or hardware from the Krasukha-4, Russia’s most advanced mobile EW system, which has been refined on the battlefields of Ukraine to disorient low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites.
- The “Electronic Shield”: Rather than just blocking GPS, the regime is using a “swarm” tactic—deploying hundreds of localized jammers in urban centers like Tehran to flood the specific radio frequencies Starlink uses to communicate.
Scale of the Disruption
Data from internet monitors like NetBlocks and Filter.Watch shows a significant degradation in service quality across major Iranian cities.
| Metric | Normal Operation | Current Status (Jan 2026) |
| Starlink Packet Loss | <1% | 30% to 85% (Tehran) |
| Connectivity Level | 100% | ~1% of normal levels |
| Successful Data Uploads | High-speed | Nearly impossible (Video/Images blocked) |
| Number of Terminals | ~50,000 (smuggled) | Majority unstable |
Musk and Trump Respond
The situation has reached the highest levels of global diplomacy. Following a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on January 11, Elon Musk reportedly “green-lit” his engineers at SpaceX to push emergency software updates to circumvent the jamming.
- Free Service: SpaceX has officially waived subscription fees for all users in Iran to ensure that those who can connect are not barred by payment hurdles.
- Software Patches: Starlink is attempting to use its own satellite constellation to triangulate terminal positions, bypassing the jammed GPS signals.
- The “Cat and Mouse” Game: While Starlink’s technical team initially reduced packet loss from 35% back down to 10% in some areas, the Iranian military has countered with even higher-intensity signal “noise.”
Conclusion
The battle over Iran’s sky marks a watershed moment for satellite technology. If an authoritarian regime can successfully “wipe out” a resilient, decentralized system like Starlink using mobile Russian tech, it sets a dangerous precedent for digital censorship globally.18 As one expert noted, the “electronic shield” over Tehran is no longer just a local police action—it is a full-scale exercise in 21st-century electronic warfare.
