Russia accelerates Rassvet satellite network deployment, Ukraine intelligence warns

Russia is accelerating the deployment of its Rassvet satellite communications system, a domestic alternative to Starlink developed by Bureau 1440. Major General Vadym Skibitskyi warns that the constellation is launching faster than planned, with goals of 292 satellites by 2027 and 924 by 2035. The system already provides two daily coverage windows over Ukraine. Ukrainian officials are actively discussing countermeasures, while drone commander Robert Brovdi warns the network poses a global security risk.

Rassvet deployment acceleration

• ▪Russia is deploying its Rassvet satellite communications system, a domestic alternative to Starlink, faster than originally planned.
• ▪One of the 16 Rassvet satellites launched in March 2026 was lost due to a manufacturing defect, leaving 15 functional satellites from the first batch.
• ▪Russia launched a second batch of 16 Rassvet satellites in July 2026, bringing the total number of satellites in orbit to approximately 40.
• ▪Russia's Bureau 1440 launched its first production batch of 16 Rassvet satellites into low Earth orbit on March 23, 2026.
• ▪Major General Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy head of Ukraine's GUR military intelligence, stated that Russia has accelerated its Rassvet satellite launches.

Coverage capability milestones

• ▪The second batch of Rassvet satellites is expected to reach operational altitude by October or November 2026, adding two more daily coverage windows.
• ▪As of July 31, 2026, the first batch of Rassvet satellites provides two daily coverage windows over Ukraine, each lasting over one hour.
• ▪Rassvet operates on Ka- and Ku-band frequencies and uses active phased-array terminals, making the system highly resistant to ground-based electronic jamming.

Planned constellation expansion timeline

• ▪Russia plans to deploy a constellation of 292 Rassvet satellites by 2027 to initiate commercial services.
• ▪Russia plans to expand the Rassvet satellite constellation to 924 satellites by 2035 to achieve global coverage.
• ▪The Rassvet program has drawn $5.7 billion in funding through 2030, including 102.8 billion rubles from Russia's Data Economy program and 329 billion rubles in private capital.

Starlink deactivation impact

• ▪The deactivation of gray-market Starlink terminals disrupted Russian front-line command-and-control networks, prompting Moscow to ban foreign satellite system imports.
• ▪SpaceX deactivated unauthorized, gray-market Starlink connections used by Russian forces in early February 2026 at Ukraine's request.

Ukrainian countermeasure discussions

• ▪Ukrainian officials and military intelligence are actively discussing and developing countermeasures to disrupt the Rassvet satellite system.
• ▪Ukraine struck a Russian space communications relay center near Dubna in June 2026, damaging a 32-meter antenna to disrupt military satellite links.
• ▪Robert "Madyar" Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, warned that a fully operational Rassvet constellation represents a global risk by giving a dictatorship global information access.

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