An operator of the 414th separate brigade for unmanned air attack systems “Birds of Magyar” used a drone to track down and destroy a Russian Spirit-030 satellite communications station for the first time.
After the pilot had briefly inspected the antenna while hovering, the attack was completed.
First Russian “Spirit-030” satellite terminal with ~30cm antenna for GEO to fall victim to a Ukrainian drone#WarOfDrones pic.twitter.com/ybgRLCB4Yh
– Martin Rosenkranz🇦🇹🇪🇺 🇺🇳 🇺🇦 🇮🇱 (@MartinRosenkra3) April 5, 2026
The special feature of the system is that it is very small for an antenna for communication with satellites in geostationary orbit (GEO).
Instead of the usual dishes with a diameter of 60 to 120 centimeters, which can easily be spotted by reconnaissance aircraft, Spirit-030 has a small rectangular reflector with a diagonal of around 30 centimeters.
Serhiy “Flash” Beskreznov, a Ukrainian specialist in communications and electromagnetic warfare, appeals on his channel to the Ukrainian drone pilots“to pay attention to this target”.
In cooperation with Starlink operator Space X, Ukraine has established a whitelist for all Starlink terminals in Ukraine and Russia. As a result, Russia was locked out of Starlink satellite communications. Now, according to Beskreznov, the Russians have started to deliver the Spirit 030 terminals en masse to the front line.
The terminals were put into operation for the first time during the Russian-Belarusian military exercise “Zapad-2025”. The compact, case-like device with a fold-out antenna enables stable communication with the command posts of the units.
“These portable satellite systems are very good, mobile and unobtrusive. They are easy to install and the signal is stable. We haven’t had any problems with them. They provide full satellite communications – telephony and everything else. Everything is encrypted,” a platoon commander of the Russian telecommunications unit with the call sign “Mozart” told the Russian military TV channel Zvezda.
It is still unclear which satellite Russia will use for communication with the new 30-centimeter antenna in the GEO.
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