According to reporting by the Financial Times, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made multiple appeals to Donald Trump requesting sanctions against the Russian and Chinese entities constructing Rassvet, a satellite communications network intended to rival Starlink. The matter has been brought up in conversations between the two leaders, including during a recent encounter in New York, as noted by Ukrainian news agency UNN citing the FT account.
A network for the front line
Russian company Bureau 1440 is developing Rassvet, with Zelensky indicating the system could become operational as early as the first quarter of next year. According to Zelensky, Beijing is actively participating in the initiative.
We know that China works on satellites, works on the possibility of helping Russia with a similar Starlink
Volodymyr Zelensky
In the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, satellite internet connectivity has proven essential for military operations. Starlink infrastructure enables communication and coordination between military units and unmanned systems, while Russian forces have attempted to disrupt these connections through jamming. A domestically controlled satellite network would provide Russian military assets with communications infrastructure independent of American control or SpaceX's operational decisions.
Still small, for now
Rassvet remains significantly behind Starlink in development. Bureau 1440 successfully deployed 16 operational satellites in March, but the network requires more than 250 satellites to begin providing service, as reported by TNW in June. The company has targeted 2027 for commercial operations, though this timeline has already been extended once. Zelensky's projection of near-term availability appears more optimistic than Bureau 1440's own schedule.
To date, neither the White House nor SpaceX has issued any public statements regarding Zelensky's request.
Source: The Next Web
