Ukraine Maps 49 Firms in Rassvet Network
Intelligence officials identify a lead contractor and unsanctioned entities behind a satellite system designed to replace Starlink for military command.
By Mateo Thompson ·
Moscow is building a satellite constellation to rival Starlink, and Ukrainian officials say it is running ahead of schedule. The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine published a list of 49 Russian and Belarusian companies involved in the project on Tuesday.
Bureau 1440, a limited liability company under the ICS Holding IT group, serves as the main contractor. Other firms in the group manufacture solar panels, user terminals, and printed circuit boards. The agency states that Roscosmos and other aerospace firms handle launch vehicles and electric propulsion engines.
Dmitry Bakanov, head of Roscosmos, directly oversees the project. He previously led the Gonets Satellite System, which partnered with the UK's OneWeb. Entities tied to the Russian Defence Ministry manage the spaceport and coordinate participants. They will later integrate the system into military communications.
The Russian bank VTB appears on the list of investors. Twenty-three of the 49 named entities have not been sanctioned by any country in the sanctions coalition. Roscosmos is among those unsanctioned firms. DIU urged partners to sanction these companies and restrict component supplies.
The system is designed for low-Earth orbit with ground-based control infrastructure. It includes gateway stations and terminals for fixed and mobile facilities. Russia plans to use the network for strategic communications, command and control, and directing strike platforms. User terminals will be fitted to Iskander-M short-range ballistic missile command vehicles.
The agency warned that the planned coverage targets Ukraine and the EU. Moscow intends to link the satellites to a space-based system that supplies targeting data for missiles. Sixteen satellites entered orbit in March 2026. The constellation is scheduled to reach 292 satellites by 2027 and 924 by 2035.
DIU described Rassvet as primarily a military tool. It will support the combat use of unmanned systems and keep Defence Ministry facilities operational. The agency said Russia could use the system in hybrid acts of aggression once sufficient coverage is achieved.
