12/04/2024
Purchasing Starlink terminals in Russia officially is not possible. However, no one said anything about the territories of Ukraine that were occupied by it. Moreover, as it turned out, Russians find ways to circumvent and import Elon Musk's terminals, including through the UAE and Kazakhstan.
Analysts from the Molfar OSINT agency and experts from the Institute for Cyber Warfare Research prepared an article in which they tried to investigate whether Starlink is sold in Russia. To verify this, we contacted Russian intermediaries using HUMINT methods and clarified all the details. The sellers themselves explained where they import Starlink from, the cost of the devices, how many are available, and what scale of deliveries is expected.
In February 2024, it was reported that Russian occupation forces were using Starlink on Ukraine's territory. At the same time, Ukrainian military personnel complained about problems with the stability and speed of the Internet from Starlink. Here is the coverage map, which appears on the official Starlink website.
As we can see on the coverage map, Starlink operates in Ukraine. At the same time, it also functions in the temporarily occupied territories of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions and the occupied parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Russian stores selling Starlink claim that the terminals will also work in occupied Crimea, though there may be signal interruptions. In private conversations, Russian Starlink sellers mention that the terminal does not work in the central part of Russia. However, there are videos on social networks, for example, from Volgograd, where the Starlink satellite signal works excellently. According to a review on the for-gun.ru store, Starlink also works well in the Republic of Altai.
Starlink Sellers in Russia: Conversations with Retail Representatives
"The well-known satellite internet" — this is how some websites in Russia discreetly write about Starlink, as officially, Starlink cannot be purchased in the Russian Federation. This is not the case for the territories occupied by Russia.
Molfar has compiled a list of Russian stores that indicate they sell Starlink within the territory of the Russian Federation. Further, using HUMINT methodology, we got detailed information about where Starlink is imported from and planned deliveries' prices, quantity, and scale.
Top Machines Store
They indicate the sale of Starlink as "Starlink available for SVO (So-called special Military Operation)." As a store representative mentioned in a conversation, they have been dealing with sales for 1.5 years and provide a "lifetime" warranty on the equipment and account unless the terminal is damaged by impacts. The seller also mentioned that he is well-known among the Russian military and top leadership. In a dialogue with us, using HUMINT methods, the seller stated that as of February 21, 2024, they had at least 80 Starlink units available.
DJIRUSSIA.RU Store
The official distributor of Chinese DJI drones. Indicates that they sell Starlink in Russia. The price includes "connection and the first month of use." The seller does not specify any restrictions on the area of usage.
Engages in the sale of Starlink in Russia. The website states that the system has been tested "for functionality in Crimea, LNR, DNR, Kherson region, Kaliningrad region, and Kamchatka." WebArchive says the site has been operational since at least August 2023.
An online electronics store. Using HUMINT methods, it was found that as of February 20, 2024, there were 10 Starlink units in stock. The sellers added that by the end of the week, on February 25, 2024, they expect a large shipment, resulting in 60 devices available (1, 2).
They state that their store is "the largest supplier of Starlink in the Russian Federation." They also mention that their stations “operate in the DNR, LNR, Kherson region, Crimea, and Saint Petersburg.”
This is an online military equipment store. According to HUMINT, as of February 19, 2024, Starlink was in stock. The seller mentioned in a conversation that they provide either American or European accounts.
This store resells goods from American, European, and Chinese online stores. It resells Starlink and its components, which are purchased from overseas stores and delivered to Russia.
Snaryaga Shop
A store on the VK marketplace. According to HUMINT, they handle account activation and payment through their intermediary in Europe. According to the manager, the terminal works in the occupied Ukrainian territories. As of February 19, 2024, Starlink was available in the store. By February 23, 2024, they had 12 Starlink units in stock and could order an additional batch of 80 units. Still, it would take a month to arrive.
Store is a technology store that sells Starlink. If needed, they can provide an American or European contract to pay for the service plan.
An online electronics store specializing in drones. They sell Starlink and provide clients with an American or European contract for using the terminal.
Additionally, at least one advertisement for selling a Starlink terminal was found on Avito. The ad was posted on February 19, 2024. The seller indicated that they are private and sell drones and military backpacks.
What Do Russian Starlink Sellers Say? Details of a HUMINT Operation
HUMINT, or Human Intelligence, is a method of information gathering that involves creating and entering into direct contact with a person who possesses necessary information. In other words, HUMINT refers to "intelligence from human sources" or “espionage.”
One store is in Moscow, at Khodynsky Boulevard 20 A. On the website's main page, they openly write for whom and why they are selling Starlink. Of course, this could be a marketing trick, so experts from the Institute of Cyber Warfare Research contacted several Russian Federation stores selling Starlink equipment and tried to clarify details by writing to the seller in the chat. The contact person of this store said that Starlink has been sold here for about six months.
Further communication clarified it that the equipment was brought from Europe and has yet to be activated. The Starlink costs 240,000 Russian rubles (about $2,500) in this store and 13,600 rubles ($145) for the subscription and activation. The seller creates the account himself and makes payments using foreign bank cards. The store representatives provide instructions for the setting up, using, and selling spare parts and components. There are 5 or more devices available. They only accept cash payments. The seller refused to provide serial numbers, explaining this by experience with blocking cases.
According to another seller cited by a Russian portal on February 5, 2024: “The problem is with the contract. You need to have an acquaintance in America or Europe who will purchase the subscriber station and the tariff. You need to top up this tariff through them every month. The equipment can easily be switched to another tariff – like changing a SIM card, but also through a contact abroad.”
In Kaliningrad, the connection fee is paid through iMiele sellers, or buyers can pay for the Internet themselves using a Kazakhstani or any international card.
The store strlnk. The owner said the equipment was brought in from Europe and the UAE. They have been transporting Starlink to the Russian Federation for about a year. The saleswoman complained about Starlink blockages starting from February 2024. She mentioned many instances when the equipment was installed in the morning and blocked by the evening. She added that about 20% of their products had been blocked.
The cost of Starlink in this store is 240,000 rubles per unit of equipment, and the monthly subscription fee is 13,600 rubles. The address is Solnechnogorsky urban district, village Goluboe, Tveretskiy passage, house 19, residential building. The phone number is +7 926 912 2246.
The store top machines. The owner admitted that the equipment was brought in from the USA. They have been transporting Starlink for about half a year. Here, the device is more expensive than in previous stores – 249,000 rubles per equipment unit. Another 20,000 rubles for activation and 13,600 rubles for the monthly subscription fee. Starlink is activated via VPN. No photos were provided. The address is the same, Khodynsky Boulevard, 20 A.
How Do Russians Access Starlink? Exploring Sales Channels
The only problem for Russians has become that Starlink "gets held up at all borders on the way to Russia." These are the words of one of the online store representatives. An article in a Russian publication notes that although all Starlink devices are smuggled, the supplies are wholesale. The kits are now being sold and activated, and the price is lower.
One of the supply channels for Starlink into Russia runs through the UAE, as confirmed by intercepted conversations of the occupiers. Another confirmation comes from a specialist working at the Top Machines store. The store's Telegram channel has connections with Dubai. Another Russian store, DJI Russia, also has connections in Dubai through Telegram (1, 2, 3).
Both stores are subscribed to a group that organizes the shipping of parcels from the UAE to Russia (1, 2).
Another channel is Kazakhstan. In this case, it's about the retail supply of Starlink into Russia. The store "Везем из KZ" (We Bring from KZ) orders products from abroad to Russia. In February 2024, they published a list of products available for order. Among them are Starlink (1, 2) and a linkBest Buy's American store.
For example, there is known information about the supply of a Starlink terminal with serial numbers KIT302722171 / 02533004-509. It was manufactured in the USA and certified for sale in the EU. Additionally, the "Top Machines" store activated a device with the serial number KIT300272364 (1, 2) and, possibly, KIT300893265 (1, 2).
According to 52wmb, at least 18 sets of Starlink were delivered to Kazakhstan starting from April 24, 2022. According to customs invoices (1, 2), the supplier for LLP "Darin Tel" (ТОО Дарин Тел) was a UAE company named Safa Telecom. The legal entity LLP "Darin Tel" operates under the name "IEC Telecom Kazakhstan" and, according to the website, is part of the IEC Telecom group, a satellite communication operator working in Europe, Turkey, Singapore, and the UAE.
UPDATED (05/14/2024): According to official representatives of the IEC Telecom Group, two of the terminals ordered by LLP "Darin Tel" (ТОВ Дарин Тел) were requested by authorized state bodies of the Republic of Kazakhstan for testing the service within the country. The company states that "none of these terminals are subject to sale or transfer to third parties."
Revealing the Managers of Stores that Sell Starlink in Russia
— Top Machines — they list the sale of Starlink as “Starlink available for SVO.”
The owner is Sergey Nikolaevich Mosin (in Russian — Сергей Николаевич Мосин).
Date of birth: 28.11.1985
Tax ID: 344105324853
Phone numbers: +79275422777, +78442732239, +78442749506, +79377210616, +79377092777
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Telegram ID: 1619342290
Address: Volgograd, Columbus 4 12/3.
— DJIRUSSIA.RU — the official distributor of Chinese DJI drones.
Responsible person — Ildar Faridovich Almazov (in Russian — Ильдар Фаридович Алмазов)
Phone numbers: 79154137791, 79360007774
Telegram ID: 562584592
Email: [email protected]
Date of birth: 05.07.1990
Address: Moscow, Balashikha, Gagarin, 28
Store details:
Phone numbers: +74953637994, 79154137791, 79360007774;
Email: [email protected];
Office address: Moscow, Izmailovskoe Highway, 71k4G-D;
— strlnk.ru is a store that sells Starlink in Russia. According to insider information, they have received complaints from SpaceX.
Responsible person — Anastasia Sergeyevna K. (in Russian — Анастасия Сергеевна К.)
Phone: +79269122246
Email: [email protected]
— iMiele — an online electronics store.
Probable owner — Andrey Vasilievich Osanov (in Russian — Андрей Васильевич Осанов)
Date of birth: 24.11.1990
Tax ID: 780532423092
Office address: Novorizhskoe Highway, 17th kilometer, 2
Owner's address: St. Petersburg, Stachek Avenue, bld. 105 corp. 2, apt. 1003
Phone: +74954877784, +79652415060
Email: [email protected], [email protected]
Manager — Andrey Andreyevich Klimenko (in Russian — Андрей Андреевич Клименко)
Date of birth: 01.03.1991
Passport: 5614 226877
Address: Penza, Klary Tsetkin St., bld. 55, apt. 17
Phones: +79603299567, +79687990058
Email: [email protected], [email protected]
Telegram ID: 447837334;
— StarlinkRF — They call themselves the largest supplier of Starlink to Russia. They assist in creating a personal account, provide technical support services, and accept payments through tariffs from foreign cards.
Responsible person — (in Russian — Калинин Денис Валерьевич)
Date of birth: November 24, 1997
Taxpayer Identification Number: 343523925183
Phone: +79275225051
Email: [email protected]
— For Gun
Responsible person — Chekulenko Pyotr Vitalyevich (in Russian — Чекуленко Петр Витальевич)
Date of birth: 12.05.1976
Personal tax number: 772140037110
Phone numbers: +74957406680, +79035400602, +74991712956, +74953728738
Addresses: Moscow, Volgogradsky Prospekt, bld. 197, apt. 1, Mikhaylova Street, bld. 25, apt. 43
— Shopozz is a store that sells products from American, European, and Chinese online stores. Starlink and its components are resold from foreign stores and delivered to Russia. They provide products from the USA , Canada Germany , and China
Beneficiary (66.67%) — Kolesnikov Boris Anatolyevich (in Russian — Колесников Борис Анатольевич)
Date of birth: 16.12.1988
Personal tax number: 631927258832
Phone: +79277336666
Email: [email protected]
Beneficiary (33.33%) — Sturov Alexey Sergeyevich (in Russian — Стуров Алексей Сергеевич)
Date of birth: 12.08.1988
Tax ID: 631925725707
Phone: +79276067668
Email: [email protected]
Store consultant — Artem Moiseev (in Russian — Артем Моисеев)
Phones: +88003331667, +74952151667
Social media: VK
— Snaryaga — is a store on the VK marketplace.
Responsible person — Parshin Dmitry Yevgenyevich (in Russian — Паршин Дмитрий Евгеньевич)
Date of birth: 11.04.2000
Phones: 79850947095, 79160868990;
Email: [email protected]
— SpecTech Consulting is a store for equipment where, if necessary, they can provide an American or European contract to pay the tariff.
Related legal entity— LLC " SpecTechConsulting " (in Russian — ООО "СпецТехКонсалтинг")
Phones: +74952155475, +78001005475;
Personal tax number: 7723448319
OGRN: 1167746491516;
Legal entity address: Moscow, Municipal District Pyatnitskoe, Proyezd 2-Yuzhnoportovyy, Building 18, Structure 1, Premises. 1/1
Email: [email protected]
— djistore.ru — an online electronics store specializing in quadcopters.
Responsible person — Polunichev Sergey Aleksandrovich (in Russian — Полуничев Сергей Александрович)
Date of birth: 12.08.1978
Personal tax number: 345906136451
OGRNIP: 323080000007800
Passport: 4522892814
Phones: +79200721910, +79998604172
Email: [email protected]
VK (proof)
Place of birth: Luhansk region, Perevalsk district, village Seleznyovka
Address in the Russian Federation: Republic of Kalmykia, Lagansky district, city of Lagan, Kolhoznaya Street, house 24.
In VK, the city of residence is indicated as Alchevsk, Luhansk region.
Did Starlink Have Sales in Russia Before? A Retrospective Overview
On February 6, 2024, information appeared on the bfm.ru website that the sale of Starlink terminals had resumed in Russia. It was claimed that announcements of the sale were on the iMiele equipment sales website in May 2023, but then the terminals were withdrawn from sale for unknown reasons. As of February 19, 2024, there has yet to be a confirmation that the first terminals were in Russia in May 2023. According to web archives, in May 2023, a section appeared on the website for the sale of equipment for the Internet. Still, there needs to be more information about what products were in this section.
According to svoboda.org, Wagner PMC fighters used Starlink terminals as early as January 2023 during the storming of Bakhmut: they found some terminals in positions left by the Armed Forces of Ukraine and brought some terminals from Africa. On February 11, 2024, the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) confirmed the use of Starlink by Russians in the combat zone. It stated that the use scale is increasing. The next day, on February 12, 2024, Elon Musk noted that “as far as the company knows, no Starlinks were sold to Russia directly or indirectly.”
Users of Starlink Among Russians
Volunteer military groups. Starlink equipment is banned in regular military units of the Russian Federation and used only by volunteer units. A manager from one of the equipment suppliers for military needs explained: "These units are not documented, but there are many of them. Starlink equipment sellers do not know where to find them—this became the reason for such a massive public offer of Starlink kits in online stores.
The 83rd Airborne Assault Brigade of the Russian Federation is located near Klishchiivka and Andriivka. The GUR obtained data on this brigade's use of Starlink during the interception of an occupier's conversation, in which he reported that the Russians had installed an application and had internet access.
According to a publication on Telegram from February 12, 2024, the "Espanola" unit has been using Starlink terminals for a "long time," as indicated in the post. The post includes a photo of 1 Starlink terminal. According to the publication , "Espanola" is a voluntary fanatical particular unit consisting of Russian football fans. The unit group contacts include @daniil_maloy (TG id: 1430451711, @daniil_utkinn). He is a member of the chats "Assembly Krasnodar," "Wildberries Krasnodar," and “Mariupol | ANNOUNCEMENTS.”
According to a video on the Telegram channel of Russian volunteers Kateryna and Valentina Kornienko from February 12, 2024, Starlink terminals were likely being delivered for the 58th General Army stationed in southern Ukraine. They only accept requests for help from the command, helping 50k soldiers.
Civilian volunteers. In January 2024, a post on VK asked to purchase 15 satellite communication complexes and a link to the "Top Mashines" store with Starlink. According to the publication, the complexes are "battle-tested." The text was written by the commander of one of the platoons of the URAL battalion with the call sign "ham" (presumably, Anton Aleksandrovich Anpilov (20.03.1989, Personal tax number: 312824290360, VK [email protected], +79192209696).
According to a video on TG from February 6, 2024, volunteers Kateryna Vladimirovna Kornienko (12.05.1992 VK, OK, +79889964626 TG id: 1002349787) and Valentina Vladimirovna Kornienko (07.07.1996, VK, +79185778057 TG id: 976486196, [email protected]) demonstrated 5 boxes branded with Starlink (1, 2) among the batch of military aid to Russian soldiers ( presumably, 5 terminals). On February 20, 2024, they delivered 5 stations to the Luhansk direction. According to the video , they purchased Starlink for the needs of the Russian army long before the information appeared in the media about the availability of terminals in Russia.
As of February 19, 2023, a volunteer from the Russian battalion BARS-13, Yaroslav Mantsevich, was collecting fnds for a Starlink kit (Starlink Internet + Ethernet Adapter Gen. 2, Res RV ROAM) at the request of a Russian military with the call sign "horchuha." The amount collected was 163k rubles.
Elon Musk, the owner of Starlink, has recently shown an ambiguous position regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Analyzing his public statements, he provided Starlink terminals for use by defenders of our state in February 2022 but later restricted their use for military purposes.
Based on the facts presented in this article, Starlink is freely sold in Russia. Russians actively buy them for use in the war, although they complain about unstable communication.
