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Russia is creating an analogue of Starlink to control strike drones deep inside Ukraine — FT
Russia is accelerating the development of the satellite communications system “Rassvet,” which is to become an analogue of Starlink and will allow controlling strike unmanned aerial vehicles over long distances. The full launch of the system is planned in 2027 year.
Financial Times reports this.
Why Russia needs the “Rassvet” system
The new satellite network is intended to provide real-time video transmission and drone control. In particular, it is planned to be used to strike moving targets at significant distances.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, the system may also transmit target coordinates to missile systems.
Oleksandr Danyliuk, former Ukraine defense and intelligence adviser, said that the biggest danger lies not only in Russia’s Starlink alternative. He said that relatively cheap strike drones could become tools capable of detecting, tracking, and attacking moving targets deep inside Ukrainian territory.
Given the growth in Russian drone production, this could substantially increase the effectiveness of strikes on Ukrainian military and civilian infrastructure.
Experts also warn of potential threats to Europe. Such a system could allow controlling drones at any point within the satellite coverage zone.
What problems does the Russian project face
Despite Moscow’s plans, the development of “Rassvet” faces serious hurdles. Satellite launches lag behind schedule, and production largely depends on Chinese technology.
According to experts, the system currently can provide connectivity for no more than three hours per day. At the same time, continuous operation lasts at most 50 minutes.
For full-scale deployment of the network, Russia would need at least 16–17 satellite launches.
Pavlo Luzin, an expert at the Centre for European Policy Analysis, says it is unlikely Moscow will manage to carry out all necessary launches by the end of 2027 year.
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Russia is creating an analogue of Starlink to control strike drones deep inside Ukraine — FT
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