Zelenskyy says China may share Starlink-alternative technology with Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says China is passing Russia technology to build a Starlink alternative, and warns it could help Moscow gain an advantage in the skies over Ukraine. The claim has not been tied to a named Chinese company.

Russia’s Rassvet satellite network, developed by Bureau 1440, has launched 32 production satellites in two batches: 16 in March and 16 in July. Russia’s rollout plan called for 156 satellites in 2026 and 292 by 2027, leaving the network at roughly one-fifth of its 2026 target with less than three months left in the year.

The satellites have also faced problems. Rassvet-3 No. 4 reentered the atmosphere on June 6 after failing to raise its orbit. Two satellites from the July batch showed no orbit-raising maneuvers, and none had reached the roughly 800 km target altitude by late August.

Ukraine’s military intelligence chief, Oleh Ivashchenko, says the network remains too small and has low effectiveness. His deputy, Vadym Skibitskyi, said Russia uses it “in a fragmented manner,” only when satellites pass over Ukrainian territory.

Zelenskyy has previously said Russia was developing a Starlink alternative with Chinese help, but the specific nature of any Chinese assistance remains unclear. Bureau 1440 says it develops key satellite modules in-house; experts cited by Ukrainian outlet Militarnyi said core hardware may rely on off-the-shelf Chinese parts. The public record supports the existence and gradual growth of Rassvet, but does not establish that Chinese technology will give Russia control of Ukraine’s skies.