Ukraine Says Russia Is Using Rassvet Satellites Over Front
Ukraine’s military intelligence says Russia is using its Rassvet satellite network for military communications, with 32 satellites launched this year.
Featured photo: a Soyuz rocket launch from Baikonur, not a Rassvet launch (file photo). Photo: NASA, Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
Ukrainian military intelligence says Russia is already using its Rassvet satellite network, billed as a homegrown Starlink, for military communications over Ukraine, aiming to make strike drones more accurate and harder to jam, Reuters reported via Defense News on Nov. 6, 2026. This is Ukraine’s claim; Russia’s defense ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters.
What Kyiv says
Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) said Russia launched 32 Rassvet satellites this year in batches in March and July and plans more by the end of 2026. GUR spokesman Andrii Yusov said the network is not yet enough for uninterrupted coverage and that communication is available “intermittently.”
The Russian government said last month it had launched more than 30 satellites, according to the report. Starlink has more than 10,000.
The Starshield contrast
Starshield, the military version of Starlink, has given Kyiv a major advantage in drone operations, the report said. Russian forces lost access to grey-market Starlink terminals after Kyiv lobbied SpaceX to disable them earlier this year. Last month Ukrainian commanders saw unexplained speed limits on Starshield, which hampered drone interception and forced some strike operations to be canceled.
What to watch
Assessment: With coverage still intermittent, Rassvet’s battlefield value depends on how many more satellites reach orbit. New launches before year-end are the indicator to track.
