13.08.2026
In Gelendzhik, the defenders of Ukraine destroyed a unique Russian electronic warfare complex “Volna Kupol Garant” worth $ 1.5 million, which is designed to jam Starlink satellite communications. It is noteworthy that this most powerful electronic warfare complex, which should also be a terror for drones, is not the first time it has come under attack, which raises doubts about the effectiveness of this Wunderwaffe.
More details about this can be found in the new material of the joint project OBOZ.UA and the group “Information Resistance”.
Goal by goal
In June, pilots of the 422nd Separate Unmanned Systems Regiment of the LUFTWAFFE struck a Wave Dome Garant electronic warfare complex, which was the first confirmed destruction of this type of equipment.
“Volna Kupol Garant” is produced in temporarily occupied Simferopol and is a complex of satellite antennas placed on trailers under the guise of a civilian facility. The system’s task is to jam Starlink satellites, which receive signals from ground terminals in the 14-14.5 GHz range on eight channels.
According to the declared characteristics, the Volna Kupol Garant electronic warfare complex creates a “blind-deaf-mute” zone for Starlink satellites “over an area of 20 km².”
It is not surprising that one of these complexes was placed in Gelendzhik, near which Vladimir Putin’s palace is located, which is impressive not only in size and budget funds spent on it, but also in the echeloned air defense formed around it. Strengthening this air defense with such a powerful electronic warfare tool was supposed to increase the effectiveness of the fight against Ukrainian drones.
And now, in early August, another Volna Kupol Garant complex is being destroyed. A system that on paper suppresses and jams everything that flies in near-Earth orbit is in reality unable to protect even itself, let alone form some kind of “blind-deaf” zone?
The “wave” of the dome does not guarantee
Before we understand how it happened that the most powerful Russian electronic warfare system, designed to combat Starlink satellites in low Earth orbit (i.e. at altitudes from 500 to 570 km), is unable to protect itself from drones, it is worth clarifying its characteristics.
I would like to note right away that complete and reliable information about the performance characteristics of the “Volna Kupol Garant” is not published anywhere, but based on the information available in open sources, we can conclude that this system has :
– trailers with Ku-band transmitters and antennas with a gain of 40 dB, in quantities from 8 to 12. Optimal for performing the tasks set for the complex;
– 12 transmitters;
– powerful generator from 14 kW.
The complex also has a net microwave radiation energy of 1.25 kW per channel and, depending on the number of transmitters, from 10 kW to 15 kW.
As you can see, the numbers are quite impressive, and it really does give the impression that we are talking about an extremely powerful means of suppressing and jamming satellite communications. But this is only at first glance.
The first myth that should be debunked regarding the Volna Kupol Garant electronic warfare system is its Starlink jamming zone – “20 km²”.
In fact, 20 km (not square, I note, as is often indicated, because we are talking about distance, not area) is a limit barrier, the limit beyond which an antenna with a diameter of one meter can track a satellite at a limited angle and generate a beam of interference in its direction. The real area of the “blind-deaf” zone is… from 1 to 2 km².
The nuance is that these 1-2 km² are projected onto a piece of land under the satellite that flies by while it is under the influence of interference. That is, the effect is not stationary, but moving. However, it does take place. That is, does the system work?
Yes, the system works, albeit on a much smaller effective area, but here’s the nuance – it does not guarantee absolute suppression of the enemy even in this area.
The fact is that as soon as the strike drone loses contact with the Starlink satellite, it immediately switches to the nearest available one. In turn, 8-12 transmitters and antennas of the “Volna Kupol Garant” cannot guarantee the suppression of all satellites that simultaneously find themselves in the operational zone.
That is, on the one hand, suppression and jamming occur, but in fact, there is not much point in this, because a modern drone automatically switches to an unjammed satellite.
But the most interesting thing is that as soon as the “Volna Kupol Garant” starts working, this zone is immediately unmasked by a gigantic release of heat and microwave energy . In fact, this EW is like a New Year’s fireworks on the darkest night, which is simply impossible not to notice.
Such powerful and irresistible unmasking properties of this complex allow either to bypass it in operational mode (taking into account its limited capabilities to create a “blind-and-deaf” zone with an area of 1-2 km² at a maximum distance of up to 20 km), or to purposefully fly into the zone of volcanic activity to destroy the “Volna Kupol Garant”.
In a sense, this electronic warfare complex does not so much protect as attract attention with its gigantic thermal and microwave generation.
Conclusions
In Russia, not having the opportunity to catch up and surpass Starlink in terms of the scale of the space group, they decided to follow the traditional path: to create something that would suppress and destroy. Moreover, to give this Wunderwaffe in advance properties that, to put it mildly, do not correspond to real characteristics.
As a result, the attempt to create a workable system in the Russian Federation was partially successful. Let’s say, about 10% of the initially set task.
The Volna Kupol Garant electronic warfare system does not guarantee absolute security , and the laws of physics and modern technologies allow either to bypass the working area of this complex or to purposefully strike it, since the system unmasks itself.
All of the above factors fully explain the reasons why this unique electronic warfare system is easily destroyed by Ukrainian drones, which, in theory, should not fly within tens of kilometers of it. This does not cancel its operational capability, which, in turn, does not benefit it so much as, on the contrary, harms it.
And this does not mean that, having received the initial, albeit chaotic effect, the Russians will not try to improve it and increase its efficiency. Therefore, so that this complex of dubious quality and functionality does not really become a serious challenge to our drones in the near future, it is necessary, without wasting time, to destroy the production facilities where the Volna Kupol Garant is assembled.