Russian satellite network could give Moscow online drone control across Ukraine

Russia's Rassvet satellite network, described as the country's answer to Starlink, could potentially grant Moscow the capability to remotely control drones across Ukraine, according to presidential adviser Serhii Beskrestnov. In a Telegram post dated August 11, Beskrestnov, known by the call sign Flash, emphasized that while improved battlefield communications for Russian forces were a secondary concern, the more pressing issue was the possibility that Starlink might not operate over Russia.

This would prevent Ukraine from utilizing Starlink to manage drones within its borders, while Russia could leverage its own satellites to control drones over Ukraine. Beskrestnov warned that Russian forces would be able to launch drone attacks on Ukraine using their own satellites, urging Ukraine to swiftly develop electronic warfare countermeasures to counteract the Rassvet threat.

The urgency of this situation was underscored by Beskrestnov, who described it as a personal priority. On July 20, Russian company Bureau 1440 launched a second batch of communications satellites for the Rassvet project, which had already placed its first satellites in orbit in March. In a June 12 meeting with Russian occupation troops at the Kremlin, President Vladimir Putin claimed on two separate occasions that Russia already possessed a satellite internet system for drone control.

However, troops engaged in the conflict refuted these claims, stating that such a system was not operational in practice.