First strike ever: Ukrainian drone forces wipe out Russia's secret Spirit station (video)
Ukrainian forces destroyed a Russian Spirit-030 station (photo: Getty Images)
Russian troops started mass deliveries to the front of new compact satellite communication stations Spirit-030, which are harder to detect due to their smaller antennas, reports Serhii Beskrestnov (FLASH), a technology adviser to Ukraine's Minister of Defense.
Russia's new equipment specifications
According to the expert, after losing access to Starlink, satellite communications have become critical for Russian forces. Older Russian terminals have 90-centimeter antennas, allowing the Armed Forces of Ukraine to quickly detect and destroy them.
The new Spirit-030 model operates via a dedicated geostationary satellite, which has enabled a reduction in antenna size to 30 centimeters. This makes the units more mobile and less visible to reconnaissance.
"Russians have now begun mass deliveries of such stations to the front. In fact, it is the same satellite communication station, but designed to be portable," Beskrestnov said.
414th Brigade #Magyar's Birds of Unmanned Systems Forces destroyed a new #Russian compact #satellite communication system Spirit-030 pic.twitter.com/OHqq4q8LKF
— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) April 5, 2026
First Spirit-030 destroyed
Ukrainian defense forces have already documented the use of this equipment despite its small size. Pilots of Magyar's Birds, the 414th Separate Unmanned Strike Aviation System Brigade, detected and destroyed the first such station.
Serhii Beskrestnov urged all drone operators to pay special attention to these targets, as their elimination is a priority.
