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 plans a constellation of 292 satellites by 2027 and 924 by 2035.
- Ukrainian officials are discussing countermeasures against the system.
- Russia has met its annual production targets for Zircon and Oniks missiles early.
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, with plans to expand the constellation to 292 satellites by 2027 and 924 by 2035. At present, the system can operate only intermittently when a satellite passes over Ukrainian territory, but once a full constellation is deployed, it will function like Starlink. Ukrainian officials are already discussing how to counter the system. Separately, Skibitskyi noted that Moscow had already met its annual production targets for Zircon and Oniks missiles in the first seven months of the year and was exceeding its 2026 missile production goals by 10% to 20%. Ukraine's emerging ballistic missile and drone production facilities have become priority targets for Russia's missile campaign. Russia's stockpile of Iskander-M ballistic missiles is estimated at around 130, with 65 new ones made in July.