Russia using Razvet satellite network over Ukraine, Kyiv intelligence warns
Ukrainian intelligence warns the Razvet network is being deployed to improve drone targeting and resilience against electronic interference.
Ukraine's military intelligence says Russia has begun using its new Razvet satellite network over Ukraine to support attacks and reduce the vulnerability of assault drones to electronic interference.
“Russia is using the satellite system 'Razvet' over the territory of Ukraine for military purposes,” said Andrij Yusov, spokesman for the Main Intelligence Directorate at the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (GUR).
Coverage, capacity and planned launches
According to GUR, Russia launched 32 Razvet satellites into orbit this year, deployed in two batches in March and July. The Russian government also said last month that it had launched more than 30 satellites.
Moscow plans additional Razvet launches through the end of 2026 to expand the network's geographic reach and gradually approach a complete low-Earth-orbit communications system, GUR said in a written statement.
Analysts point out that the nascent Russian mesh remains far smaller than the more than 10,000 satellites operating in the Starlink network run by SpaceX. The military variant of the U.S. system, called Starshield, is operating in Ukraine but not in Russia; access to SpaceX services has given Kyiv a notable operational advantage.
Photo: press material from the event
