With the impossibility of accessing the Starlink network in Ukraine, Russia has intensified the development of its own satellite internet infrastructure. This system, named Rassvet, was created by the aerospace company Bureau 1440 and its main objective is to expand military communications and assist in drone coordination in combat zones.
High-speed data transmission has become crucial for military operations, including sending real-time videos. Initially, without an internal solution, Russian forces resorted to Elon Musk's company network, which highlighted a dependency that the Kremlin is now seeking to reduce.
However, the performance of Rassvet still presents significant deficiencies compared to the most modern systems on the market. While the first version of the equipment reaches speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second, the current generation of Starlink operates at around 100 gigabits per second.
The project also faces difficulties in increasing coverage and ensuring an uninterrupted connection. One of the biggest challenges lies in the capacity disparity when considering the future generation of Starlink. Astrophysicist and space historian Jonathan McDowell predicted that the subsequent system should outperform the current version by about ten times.
Clayton Swope, from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, assessed that Russia is still far from having a comparable alternative. He told DW that 'Starlink was so important that the Russians tried for a long time to use it for their own military purposes. Russia had nothing that could compete with it.'
Despite the capacity limitations, Moscow's move raises concern in Kyiv, as Rassvet does not need to fully replicate Starlink's performance to be militarily useful; a more basic network can already support communications and drone management on the battlefield.
Intermittent Coverage and Ukrainian Concerns
Currently, the coverage offered by Rassvet is sporadic. Due to the movement of satellites in orbit, each device remains over a specific area for a limited time. With only 31 units, the network provides only brief connection windows over Ukrainian territory. This limitation may change if Russia manages to expand its constellation.
Vadym Skibitsky, deputy head of Ukrainian military intelligence, confirmed that Moscow is accelerating launches and sees the expansion of the network as a potential change in the scenario. He mentioned that 'they have already started launches much faster than originally planned. For now, the system can only operate intermittently, when a satellite passes over our territory. When Russia deploys a complete constellation of satellites, the system will function like Starlink. There are already discussions on how to neutralize it.'
Kyiv's concern reflects a broader trend observed in the war: satellite internet has proven to have strategic value in conflicts, prompting other governments and corporations to develop their own solutions. Countries such as China, the European Union, and Amazon are developing mega-constellations, like Iris² and Project Kuiper, while OneWeb already offers an alternative.
In this context, the creation of autonomous networks transcends the mere issue of connection speed. For nations involved in hostilities, possessing infrastructure under their own control also implies reducing dependence on private companies and securing vital communication channels for military operations.