Ukraine Says Russia Uses Rassvet for Military Comms — SkimNews
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- Rassvet is already carrying military communications over Ukraine, though coverage is intermittent; Zientsev says it provides at least two high-quality daily windows lasting more than an hour each.
- Russia launched 32 Rassvet satellites in two batches, in March and July, broadly matching the government’s count of more than 30; GUR says more launches are planned by the end of 2026.
- GUR said Rassvet may provide two-way links that relay surveillance data in real time, let pilots reroute strike drones during flight and reduce reliance on preprogrammed paths.
- Zelenskyy sanctioned 10 companies involved in Rassvet last week, including state-backed coordinator Bureau 1440, which plans a constellation of more than 900 satellites by 2035.
- Starshield speed limits imposed last month hampered Ukraine’s ability to intercept Russian attack drones and forced cancellation of some strike operations; the unexplained restrictions have since been lifted.
- Progress rocket and space center in Samara produces rockets used to launch Rassvet; Ukraine said it struck the site with long-range missiles in August, while GUR reported launches were running faster than planned.
- Sienik said Russia is developing the Starlink analogue with Chinese components and urged the U.S. to sanction participating companies; the Treasury Department gave no comment.
Why it matters: Russia gains a homegrown satellite-comms layer for battlefield drones, while Ukraine is discussing countermeasures to a rival to SpaceX’s Starshield advantage. GUR counts 32 Rassvet satellites, more launches are planned by end-2026, and Zientsev says two daily windows of more than an hour already have operational consequences.
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