Ukraine Urges ITU to Block Russian Rassvet Satellites

Ukraine has formally requested the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to prevent Russian military satellites, dubbed "Rassvet," from operating over Ukrainian territory. This petition was submitted through the country's Permanent Mission to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva. Speaking to X, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that Moscow's intention behind using these satellites is to support its war efforts and carry out "genocidal crimes," with no civilian purpose in mind.

Sybiha called upon international partners to back Ukraine's stance and implement measures to hinder the functioning of Rassvet satellites within their own sovereign lands.

Rassvet, a system developed by the Russian company Bureau 1440, aims to serve as a domestic alternative to SpaceX's Starlink. However, the system has gained critical importance for Russia after Ukraine collaborated with SpaceX to implement a registration system for Starlink terminals on the ground, restricting unauthorized access for Russian troops.

Ukrainian military intelligence estimates that Bureau 1440 plans to launch 292 satellites by 2027, when the system is set to go commercially. Yet, the project has encountered several technical challenges. Recent launch attempts, including a July 20 mission and others, have resulted in failures, with satellites either failing to reach the intended orbit, hovering at suboptimal altitudes, or being lost altogether.

Despite these setbacks, analysts caution that Rassvet is already providing limited operational functionality, with tracking data from N2YO service showing the satellites passing over Ukraine four times daily, offering at least two stable communication windows each lasting over an hour.