Putin outsmarts US with special balloon after Musk pulls the plug on Starlink on Russian frontlines

Russia is scrambling to restore battlefield connectivity after losing access to Starlink, the satellite network that once powered its drone strikes and command systems. With SpaceX tightening verification and cutting unauthorized access, Moscow has turned to a high-altitude balloon platform called Barrage-1, backed by the Foundation for Advanced Studies. Reported by The War Zone, the system can lift 100 kilograms to 20 kilometers, potentially hosting 5G communications. But unlike thousands of low-Earth-orbit satellites, a single drifting balloon offers only limited regional coverage and remains vulnerable to drones and electronic warfare.