Key facts
- Russia is developing a satellite-based system to control combat drones.
- President Vladimir Putin announced the initiative during a meeting with military officials.
- The system aims to reduce reliance on ground communications and extend drone operational range.
- Russia has begun launching satellites for a low-orbit constellation, described as a "counterpart" to Starlink.
- Work on the system is continuing in 2024-2025, involving a private entity.
- Putin emphasized the need to accelerate drone forces and increase funding for space-based control.
Russia is developing a satellite-based system for controlling combat drones, President Vladimir Putin announced, according to the Interfax news agency. This initiative aims to reduce the military's dependence on ground-based communications and extend the operational range of unmanned aerial systems.
Putin stated that Russia has already begun launching satellites to create a low-orbit constellation, which he described as a "counterpart" to Starlink. He indicated that this work is continuing in 2024-2025 and involves a private entity, though he did not name the company. The development is part of broader modernization efforts and aligns with global trends toward autonomous, beyond-line-of-sight UAV capabilities.
In a separate report, Russian news agencies stated that Putin issued a decree setting the size of the Russian military at 2,399,130 individuals, including 1,510,000 service members. Meanwhile, Ukraine and SpaceX have introduced measures to block Starlink terminals used by Russian occupation forces, as Russian troops have reportedly used Starlink systems on drones to bypass Ukrainian air defenses.