UKRAINE, KHARKIV OBLAST,  Mar. 19 — Russian soldiers are trying to set up alternative data transmission channels in north Kharkiv oblast to compensate for the blocked Starlink terminals, said Viktor Levchenko, the commander of the Robocop unit of the Patrol Police of Ukraine brigade called Khyzhak (predator in English), to ArmyInform.

After Elon Musk’s SpaceX company blocked Starlink terminals for the Russian army at the beginning of February, Russian forces have been attempting to set up alternative data transmission channels in the northern part of Kharkiv oblast while operating from Russian territory. But Ukrainian forces destroy antennas, which Russians installed in forested highland areas, said Levchenko.

The Robocop unit recorded an increase in the use of Wi-Fi bridges (devices for communication between wireless gadgets) in the Lyptsi community, north of Kharkiv oblast.

Levchenko said that Ukrainian forces use FPV reconnaissance and patrols to identify Russian troop movements, their positions, and drone launch sites.

“Russians tried to set up satellite terminals in the open area. But they were unable to camouflage them effectively because of the size of the satellite dishes,” said Levchenko.

The commander said that after antennas are hit, the Russians quickly replace them, but they don’t camouflage them right away because their command requires that operations are restored as quickly as possible.

Earlier, Viktor Trehubov, a spokesperson for a military group responsible for the Kharkiv oblast, said that Russian troops have advanced with small groups in the “grey zone” near Pishchane on the Kupiansk axis, attempting to lead an assault toward Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi.

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