Russia’s Starlink Rival Lags Behind Plans, Kyiv Says

None of Russia’s Rassvet satellites has reached its planned orbital altitude, Ukraine’s military intelligence said on Friday, Nov. 13, while a senior Ukrainian commander cautioned that Moscow could eventually overcome the project’s technological difficulties.The Military Intelligence Directorate (HUR) said 26 spacecraft had stabilized at roughly 500-520 kilometers (311-323 miles), below the planned 800 kilometers (497 miles). Two satellites had deorbited, while others continued maneuvering toward their target altitude.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.Speaking to journalists, Air Assault Forces commander Oleh Apostol said Russia was experiencing technological difficulties with its intended alternative to Starlink, RBC-Ukraine reported. He nevertheless said Moscow could ultimately achieve its goal.“I think it’s a matter of time. They’ll push him. Not as quickly as they wanted,” Apostol said.Russia plans 240 more satellites in 2027Despite the setbacks, Moscow plans to launch another 240 satellites in 2027, according to HUR.The agency also outlined plans for five additional terminal models: four in 2027 and an aviation version in 2028. These are different types of equipment intended to connect users to the satellite network.Russia launched its second batch of Rassvet satellites in July.Bureau 1440, the Russian aerospace company developing the network, said in its July 20 announcement that the spacecraft would undergo checks and commissioning before moving from their initial reference orbit toward the target orbit. Other Topics of Interest Firefighters extinguished a blaze in a one-story home and reported damage to 11 cars at a separate impact site. Network already provides intermittent military communicationsRussia is already using Rassvet for military communications over Ukraine, HUR told Reuters. However, the constellation remains too small to provide continuous coverage, with connections available as satellites pass overhead.The agency said the network could enable reconnaissance drones to transmit information in real time and allow attack drones to change routes during flight. Those capabilities could improve Russian strikes and make drones harder to disrupt through electronic warfare.Ukraine has warned about the network’s potential to provide space-based control for Russian drones, making its development a concern even before full deployment.Developer reports Arctic tests and new equipmentBureau 1440 has separately reported satellite communications tests aboard the nuclear-powered icebreaker Ural on the Northern Sea Route.In a Nov. 11 announcement, the company said an Ultra terminal connected the vessel to its combined satellite and ground infrastructure.The captain held a videoconference with Atomflot’s operations center in Murmansk, while medical personnel transmitted diagnostic information for a consultation with specialists in Moscow.The company described the tests as successful. Its announcement did not provide independently verified performance measurements or figures establishing continuous coverage.Bureau 1440’s October product announcement also showed that its terminal lineup remained at different stages of development.The company presented Ultra as a production model, advertising data transfer speeds of up to 700 megabits per second while stationary or moving.It also unveiled the Mini concept, a portable device designed for speeds of around 100 Mbps. The company said it was developing the equipment for rescue teams, geological expeditions, and similar users, but did not announce a production start date.A railway terminal, Terra, was undergoing tests on Russian Railways rolling stock. Bureau 1440 said it was designed to maintain connections on trains traveling at speeds of up to 400 kilometers per hour (250 mph).Ukraine targets suppliers with sanctionsOn Oct. 30, the Presidential Office announced sanctions against 10 companies and 19 Russian nationals involved in developing Rassvet.It said Moscow wanted a Starlink-like system that could support troop command, guide missiles, and allow operators to control attack drones in real time, including Shahed-type aircraft.Bureau 1440 was among the sanctioned companies, alongside businesses producing satellite solar panels, spacecraft, subscriber terminals, and other components.The Presidential Office said the project depended on foreign technology, equipment, and components. Ukrainian sanctions officials called on partners to align restrictions to disrupt those supply chains while the network was still being developed. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.