Russia has launched 32 Rassvet satellites into orbit this year in two batches, in March and July, according to Ukraine’s Defense Ministry’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR). The Russian government said last month that more than 30 satellites had been launched, Reuters reported.
The network is a Russian alternative to Starlink, the satellite communications system operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. However, Rassvet remains far smaller than Starlink, which has more than 10,000 satellites in orbit.
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Moscow plans additional launches by the end of 2026 to gradually expand Rassvet’s geographic coverage and move closer to establishing a full low-Earth-orbit communications network, the GUR said.
“Russia is using the ‘Rassvet’ satellite system over the territory of Ukraine for military purposes,” GUR spokesman Andrii Yusov said.
He added that the network does not yet provide uninterrupted coverage of Ukraine, with communications available intermittently as satellites pass over relevant areas.
Russia’s Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Meanwhile, Russia’s Scientific and Expert Council warned Friday about the risks posed by Starlink and called for faster deployment of the Rassvet system.
Starlink’s military version, Starshield, has given Ukraine an important advantage in battlefield communications and drone operations. Russian forces had previously used unofficially obtained Starlink terminals in Ukraine, but Kyiv successfully persuaded SpaceX to disable them earlier this year.
Ukraine’s access to Starshield faced renewed uncertainty last month when battlefield commanders encountered temporary speed restrictions. The limitations disrupted efforts to intercept Russian attack drones and forced the cancellation of some Ukrainian strike operations. The restrictions have since been lifted, although no explanation was given for their introduction.
The developments come as Russia intensifies attacks on Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure, increasingly using jet-powered drones that are more difficult to intercept.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week imposed sanctions on 10 companies involved in developing Rassvet, including Bureau 1440, which coordinates the state-backed project.
Bureau 1440 has said it aims to build a constellation of more than 900 satellites by 2035. The company did not immediately respond to Reuters’ questions.
According to the GUR, Rassvet could enable two-way data exchanges with Russian unmanned aircraft operating over Ukraine. This would allow surveillance drones to transmit information in real time and operators to change the routes of attack drones while they are airborne, reducing their dependence on pre-programmed flight paths.
Such capabilities could help drones respond to changes in target locations and evade air defenses, Yusov said.
“In the longer term, this could increase the effectiveness of strike and reconnaissance UAVs and make it more difficult for electronic warfare and electronic intelligence systems to intercept them,” he added.
Kyiv-based security expert Mykola Zientsev said there were indications that Rassvet was already affecting the precision of Russian strikes using jet-powered drones.
He said Russia had at least two high-quality satellite communications windows each day, lasting more than an hour, which could already have operational consequences.
The GUR has identified 49 Russian and Belarusian companies it says are involved in the project. Its deputy head, Major General Vadym Skibitskyi, said in August that Russia was accelerating satellite launches beyond its original schedule and that Ukraine was discussing ways to counter the system.
Ukraine also said in August that it had carried out a long-range missile strike on the Progress rocket and space centre in Russia’s Samara region, which manufactures rockets used to launch Rassvet satellites.
Ukraine’s chargé d’affaires in Washington, Denys Sienik, has urged the United States to impose additional sanctions on companies involved in the project. He also told Reuters that Russia was developing its Starlink alternative using Chinese components.
The US Treasury Department declined to comment on Kyiv’s request for further sanctions.
