Why the ‘quarantine’ of roaming SIM cards is ineffective in combating Russian drones
The CEO of “Vodafone Ukraine,” Olga Ustinova, explained that the implementation of the so-called “quarantine” for SIM cards entering from roaming is not capable of effectively countering the use of kamikaze drones like the “Shahed” by the Russian Federation. Ustinova emphasized that discussions about the possibility of restricting the operation of roaming SIM cards are ongoing, but the issue is much more complex than it appears at first glance.
This is reported by AgroReview
Use of Alternative Communication Channels
According to Olga Ustinova, the Russian Federation uses not only Ukrainian SIM cards — among the recorded cases, most belong to operators from other countries. Drones can also utilize communication through alternative channels, including fiber optic lines and Starlink. This indicates that simply disabling mobile communication will not stop the use of drones.
“These cards can belong to other operators, not Ukrainian and not Russian. So you can take any card, and it will be roaming. We have even recorded that most cards are from non-Ukrainian operators. Moreover, drones also operate through optics and Starlink. Therefore, it’s not just a matter of turning off mobile communication once and expecting drones not to fly. No, it doesn’t work that way,” she explained.
Comprehensive Approach to Communication Security
The head of “Vodafone Ukraine” emphasized that combating the use of kamikaze drones requires a comprehensive approach. The operator is actively collaborating with the military to minimize the risks associated with the use of Ukrainian SIM cards; however, the details of this work are not disclosed for security reasons.
Olga Ustinova stressed that implementing a “quarantine” for roaming SIM cards is currently impractical, as there is no effective benefit from this measure. She noted that there are other, more effective countermeasures, but the details remain classified due to the state of war.
At the same time, roaming with the Russian Federation was already suspended at the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine.
Previously, experts in radio technologies, including advisor to the Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Sergey “Flash” Beskrestnov, as well as advisor to the Minister of Defense Sergey Sternenko, have repeatedly reported instances of Ukrainian SIM cards being installed on Russian “Shahed” drones. However, the problem is not limited to this aspect.
To counter Ukrainian drones on the territory of Russia, a “quarantine” for roaming SIM cards was implemented in Russia last year, but this restriction did not yield the expected results.