Russia’s new Kalinka electronic warfare system linked to Starlink outages in Iran
The successful suppression of Starlink satellite internet signals during recent mass protests in Iran is being linked to Russia’s new “Kalinka” electronic warfare system.
Reports from The National Interest suggest that Iran may have served as a primary testing ground for this new anti-satellite technology. Moscow is expected to integrate data obtained from these regional operations into its own defense solutions, aiming to neutralize the geopolitical influence of Starlink in future crises.
Tehran deploys military-grade electronic equipment
According to a report by The New York Times, Iranian authorities utilized military-grade electronic equipment to disrupt the Starlink network during nationwide internet and communications blackouts.
Nicole Grajewski, an expert on Russia-Iran relations at Sciences Po in Paris, noted that Russia has long supplied Iran with specialized tools designed for internet control and the suppression of protests.
Grajewski also highlighted that Moscow has provided training to the Tehran administration on methods to isolate the civilian population from the global network.
Kalinka detects Starlink terminals from a 15-kilometer range
Andrey Bezrukov, Chairman of the Board of the Russian Center for Unmanned Systems and Technologies (TsBST), previously shared critical details regarding the Kalinka system.
In a statement released at the end of 2024, Bezrukov announced that the system was developed in Russia and has successfully undergone combat testing.
“Kalinka is capable of detecting and pinpointing the location of Starlink terminals at a range of up to 15 kilometers,” Bezrukov stated.
He further explained that the system can be mounted on jet skis, boats, and helicopters. The technology is designed to identify maritime drones, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and fixed ground communication hubs that rely on satellite connectivity.