Key facts
- Russia is accelerating the deployment of its Rassvet satellite communications system, a Starlink analogue.
- Ukraine's military intelligence deputy chief Vadym Skibitskyi stated the system is launching faster than planned.
- Russia launched its first 16 Rassvet satellites in March 2026 and plans a constellation of 924 by 2035.
- Ukrainian officials are discussing countermeasures against the system.
- Rassvet is developed by Russia's Bureau 1440 and is intended for commercial operations starting in 2027.
Russia is accelerating the deployment of its Rassvet satellite communications system, a domestic equivalent of Starlink, faster than previously planned, Ukraine's military intelligence deputy chief, Major General Vadym Skibitskyi, said on Aug. 10.
Skibitskyi stated that Moscow is implementing Rassvet, which he described as effectively a Russian analogue of the Starlink system, and that launches have begun significantly faster than envisaged. Russia launched its first 16 Rassvet satellites into low Earth orbit in March 2026 and is continuing to expand the constellation. Earlier reports indicated a second batch of satellites was launched in July. Skibitskyi added that Russia plans to build a constellation of 292 satellites by 2027 and expand it to 924 satellites by 2035.
"At the moment, they can operate only intermittently, when a satellite passes over our territory. When the Russians deploy a full constellation of satellites, this system will work like Starlink," Skibitskyi said. He also indicated that Ukrainian officials are already discussing how to counter the system, without providing details. Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces Robert "Madyar" Brovdi described the development as a "risk for the entire planet," adding that "a dictatorship will gain access to information across the whole globe."
Russia continues developing alternatives to Starlink, which has played a key role in Ukraine's military communications since the beginning of the full-scale war. In February, Ukraine stated that unauthorized Starlink terminals used by Russian forces had been deactivated following coordination between the Defense Ministry and SpaceX, an effort in which former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov played a key role. The Rassvet network has already encountered a setback, with one of the 16 operational satellites launched in March being lost, leaving 15 in orbit, according to Russian state-controlled newspaper Kommersant in June.
Rassvet is being developed by Russia's Bureau 1440 as a low-Earth-orbit broadband satellite network intended to provide high-speed internet connectivity. Russia has stated the system is intended to begin commercial operations in 2027, while Ukrainian officials have warned it could eventually have military applications, including communications and drone control.