Thought Leadership
In Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the country’s Security Council, has warned that efforts to block Moscow’s new satellite communications system Rassvet could escalate into a large-scale war in space.
Ukraine’s call to block the Russian satellite communications system Rassvet, which means “dawn” or “sunrise” in English, could lead to a large-scale war in space, Medvedev said in a post on Telegram. He said he hoped the Americans understood the risks, warning that otherwise US Starlink satellites could fall from orbit “like the ornaments of a dried-out Christmas tree.”
Medvedev urged both sides to exercise restraint in what he described as the “very narrow” space environment. Russia, a major space power, placed satellites belonging to its Rassvet system into orbit at an altitude of 800 kilometers in March and July. Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin has claimed that Rassvet is technically on par with tech billionaire Elon Musk’s Starlink system. The satellite network, designed to provide high-speed internet access, is scheduled to become operational next year.
Ukraine Calls for Rassvet Blockade
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on US President Donald Trump to impose sanctions on Russia’s and China’s Starlink competitors. At the end of August, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also called on the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the UN agency responsible for telecommunications, to exclude Ukrainian territory in particular from coverage by Rassvet satellites.
Sybiha said Russia intended to use the satellites in its war against Ukraine. “We call on all partners to support our position and take all possible steps to prevent Rassvet from operating, not only over the sovereign territory of Ukraine, but also over the sovereign territory of other countries,” he said in a post on X.
With support from Western countries, Ukraine has been defending itself against Russia’s war of aggression for more than four and a half years.
(dpa/Translation: Editorial Team)
