Russia launching its own Starlink analogue faster than planned

Russia is deploying its Rassvet satellite system – effectively a Russian analogue of Starlink – significantly faster than its plans envisaged.

Source: Major General Vadym Skibitskyi, Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, (DIU) in an interview with RBC-Ukraine

Quote: "Moscow is implementing Rassvet – effectively a Russian analogue of the Starlink system. And they have begun deploying it significantly faster than their plans envisaged."

Details: Skibitskyi noted that Russia already placed 16 satellites into low Earth orbit in March 2026, with further launches planned to create a constellation totalling 292 satellites by 2027 and expanding to 924 satellites by 2035.

"For now they can operate in a fragmentary manner when a satellite passes over our territory. When the Russians deploy a full satellite constellation, this system will function like Starlink," the DIU representative noted.

Skibitskyi also said that "a discussion is already under way on how to counter this".

Background:

• Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov, an adviser to the Ukrainian president on defence technology development, previously reported that Russia had launched a second batch of Rassvet satellites intended to serve as a Starlink analogue.
• In May, Flash stated that the Russian Rassvet satellite communications system was at an early stage of deployment and did not yet have a sufficient number of satellites.

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