Ahmed Adel, Cairo-based geopolitics and political economy researcher.
This year, Russia is launching mass production of broadband internet satellites and developing its own version of a network similar to the American Starlink, which, in addition to civilian uses, could also play a crucial role in security and defense, enhancing military communication and coordination in modern conflicts.
Two new satellite systems are scheduled for the near future. The Zorki system will allow for real-time digital mapping, while Rassvet will be the Russian version of the Starlink network, operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
Based on open-source and media reports, this Rassvet (Dawn) system will comprise more than 800 satellites. Essentially, it aims to provide global communications and broadband Internet access, initially at select locations, with plans to expand coverage later. The system will somewhat serve as a counterpart to Starlink, but over time, it could even outshine it.
These systems will not only give the military new communication and navigation capabilities but also promote the development of unmanned transport and provide nationwide broadband Internet access.
Starlink provides high-speed internet via the world’s largest satellite network, with over 9,000 satellites in low Earth orbit. Meanwhile, Russian satellites will operate in higher orbits, and modern technologies will help ensure their connectivity is more stable. In this way, the Russian systems should become a competitor to Starlink. Thanks to powerful satellites and communication systems, data transmission is expected to be fast and stable, while high-speed internet will also be accessible on planes and trains.
The serial deployment of these satellites will occur gradually. During the first phase, 300 satellites will be launched, with the remaining satellites placed into orbit during the second phase. Several hundred Rassvet communications satellites will provide coverage across Russia, including remote and hard-to-reach areas like Siberia and the Arctic. Russian authorities also plan to give allied countries access to Rassvet.
The project is part of a broader strategy to achieve technological independence and reduce reliance on Western communications systems, especially after Musk’s company started disabling Starlink terminals used by the Russian military.
If necessary, the system can also serve as a communication channel for military purposes. China, for example, announced that it has developed a fairly powerful radio-electronic warfare system that can interfere with Starlink. However, it must be emphasized that the Russian new system will not be primarily military and will also support and maintain communications in the Far North region. It will assist sailors serving on ships along the Northern Sea Route and will also provide broadband Internet access in other remote locations.
Therefore, the system could be used by the military if needed, effectively duplicating existing capabilities, given that the Russian military has its own capable systems, but it is not its only purpose.
Starlink has played a crucial role for Ukrainian forces in the conflict with Russia, enabling them to coordinate operations, conduct surveillance, and operate drone systems. Last year, Musk called his satellite internet the “backbone of the Ukrainian army,” claiming that “their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off.”
Elon Musk claimed, and Ukraine also announced, that Starlink has been turned off to prevent the Russian military from using it, particularly for drones.
“Looks like the steps we took to stop the unauthorised use of Starlink by Russia have worked,” Musk wrote on X on February 1 to the Ukrainian defense minister. “Let us know if more needs to be done.”
However, this has not stopped Russian offensive units from targeting military-industrial complex facilities in Ukraine with high accuracy. The Russian military has also created effective electronic warfare tools to disrupt Starlink signals.
The Institute for the Study of War warned in mid-January that since Russia had begun equipping the cheap kamikaze Molniya-2 drones with Starlink, their battlefield efficiency had increased “dramatically.”
Projects in Russia are typically implemented through public-private partnerships, where the government and private sector collaborate. The government offers support and a strategic framework, while private businesses provide the initiative and technological solutions. This approach enables projects to progress more quickly and achieve greater success, and this model is also used in other areas beyond this case.
Although some media outlets claim that this is another Russian version of Starlink, it uses a completely different technology and serves a different purpose. Zorki is a system that creates digital maps. It is used to develop accurate 3D maps, which are necessary for both the economy and various tasks, such as drone and cruise missile navigation. The Zorki satellites will enhance the guidance accuracy of high-precision strike systems, rendering Starlink useless for Russia.
