Russian officials announced Friday their intention to deploy a satellite internet constellation similar to Elon Musk’s Starlink system, with testing scheduled to begin within weeks and commercial service launching in 2027.
Alexei Shelobkov, CEO of Iks Holding, the firm behind the project, revealed the timeline during the St. Petersburg Economic Forum. “The good news is that it is already being created. Satellites are already being launched. In the coming weeks, we will begin testing, and as promised, it will start operating commercially in 2027,” Shelobkov stated during a panel discussion.
Military analysts have noted that recent Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil facilities and industrial targets have been aided by advanced AI-equipped drones capable of accessing SpaceX’s Starlink network, which offers better resistance to electronic interference.
Ukraine reported in January that Russian forces were utilizing Starlink terminals for drone navigation into Ukrainian airspace and stated they were collaborating with SpaceX to prevent such usage.
Bureau 1440, a subsidiary of Iks Holding, announced in March the deployment of its initial 16 low-orbit Rassvet satellites, with plans to expand the constellation to 900 satellites over multiple years. In comparison, SpaceX operates more than 10,000 satellites currently in orbit. Starlink services are prohibited in Russia, with penalties imposed for using the equipment.
