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On 4 October 2026, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine is working on something similar to Starlink. He did not say what that system is. Public statements so far give no architecture, constellation size, orbit, terminal design, funding, industrial partners, launch provider or timetable, and no Ukrainian satellite network is described in the reporting as operating.
Russia’s Rassvet is a separate project with reported launches, but its record is contested. The headline’s word “disastrous” is an editorial judgement, and accounts of how many satellites were launched, and which ones failed, do not line up.
What Zelenskyy said, and what he did not
The statement at the centre of the story is short. Speaking to reporters, as relayed by Interfax-Ukraine and carried by Ukrainska Pravda, Zelenskyy said:
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“Developments are underway. We are working on something similar to Starlink.”
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The remark establishes that an effort exists and is active. It does not establish a funded or contracted satellite system, or a completion date. Defence Matters reached the same reading: Zelenskyy gave no details on architecture, funding, partners or schedule. The public remarks do not specify:
- Constellation size, or the orbits the satellites would use
- Satellite design and user-terminal design
- Funding source or budget
- Industrial partners and the companies that would build the system
- Launch provider and launch schedule
- When, where and for whom service would be available
The figures in circulation, and who attached them
Several numbers are now in circulation. They describe different things, some are launch counts and some are plans, so they should not be added together or read as one timeline.
| Figure | Source and date | What it refers to | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 satellites | Reuters, republished by Ukrainska Pravda (1 Oct 2026); TechRadar (16 Jul 2026) | Initial Rassvet batch, reported as launched in March 2026 | Reported launch count; both sources place this batch in March |
| 16 satellites (July group) | TechRadar (8 Oct 2026) | A group said to have launched in July and to have failed to reach operational altitude, and to be decaying | Reported in one article. The same outlet’s 16 July report said a possible July window came from an aviation notice and that Roscosmos had not confirmed the schedule |
| 32 satellites | TechRadar (9 Sep 2026) | Rassvet satellites reported as launched by that date | Reported launch count; the report does not say which batches it includes; coverage described as still limited |
| 120 satellites by 2027 | TechRadar (8 Oct 2026) | An early Ukrainian project plan, linked to a 2027 deployment on SpaceX rockets. Early reports named a Ukrainian company, Stetman | Plan only. Not part of Zelenskyy’s quote, and no completed contract or operational plan is established in the reporting |
| 900 satellites | Reuters, republished by Ukrainska Pravda (1 Oct 2026) | Rassvet expansion plan for coming years, attributed to Russian project and company figures | Plan, not a fleet count |
Two consequences follow. The 16 and 32 figures describe what has been launched, but the sources do not say whether the 32 includes the July group, so that count cannot settle whether the July launch took place. The 120 and 900 figures describe intentions, and neither is evidence of hardware in orbit.
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Why Starlink and Rassvet appear in the same story
Zelenskyy’s remarks link Ukraine’s satellite ambitions to a wider concern that Russia’s satellite effort is getting outside help. Each of these links is his claim or assessment, and each is attributed below.
Continued Starlink access and technology sharing
In reporting on his remarks, Zelenskyy presented his request for continued Starlink access alongside his concern that other states would share relevant technology with Russia. The reporting does not give a detailed account of how the two points connect beyond that framing.
The China allegation
In a Financial Times interview, as reported by Ukrainska Pravda on 3 October 2026, Zelenskyy said:
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“We know that China works on satellites, works on the possibility of helping Russia with a similar Starlink.”
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This is his allegation. The reporting does not independently verify Chinese assistance to Rassvet. The same report attributes to him a projection that Rassvet could become operational “around the end of the year, beginning next year.” That is his forecast, not a confirmed schedule.
The embassy warning and sanctions push
Ukraine’s embassy in Washington has advocated sanctions against companies it says are involved in Rassvet. Deputy chief of mission Denys Sienik, quoted in a Reuters report republished by Ukrainska Pravda on 1 October 2026, framed the risk this way:
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“If they launch Rassvet by the end of 2026, they will be able to hit Ukrainian targets real time on our territory.”
This is a warning about a possible capability that depends on a launch. It is not evidence that Rassvet already provides continuous coverage or any form of strike control.
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Partly, and the reporting does not settle the rest. Some points are consistent across outlets. The later launch sequence and the fate of individual satellites are not.
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What the reports agree on
- An initial batch of 16 Rassvet satellites was reported as launched in March 2026 (Reuters, republished by Ukrainska Pravda, 1 October 2026; TechRadar, 16 July 2026).
- Rassvet is described as a Russian satellite communications project and a Starlink competitor, with an incomplete rollout and limited coverage (TechRadar, 9 September 2026; Reuters, republished by Ukrainska Pravda, 1 October 2026).
- Some satellites were reported to have altitude problems (TechRadar, 9 September 2026).
Where the accounts conflict
The sharpest version of the failure account is TechRadar’s 8 October article, which says all 16 satellites launched in July were decaying after failing to reach operational altitude. The same outlet’s 16 July report had said that a possible July launch window came from an aviation notice and that Roscosmos had not confirmed the schedule. Its 9 September report then described 32 satellites as launched. None of the sources cited here includes an independent technical record of the later launches or their orbits, so those claims rest on press reporting.
Why “disastrous” goes further than the evidence
“Disastrous” is an editorial characterisation rather than a measured finding. The reported facts are a launch series with orbital setbacks for some satellites, a launch count that is far below the hundreds the project has been said to aim for, and coverage described as limited. That supports calling the programme troubled. It does not, on current reporting, establish that one failed launch wiped out the whole effort, or that a finished service has failed.
Ukraine’s chief of Defence Intelligence, Oleh Ivashchenko, offered a more measured view on 9 September 2026, as quoted by TechRadar:
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.“We know that today the Russians are trying to put satellites into orbit. But so far, there are not enough of them, and their effectiveness is low,”
Comparing the two projects today
Ukraine has announced intent. Rassvet has reported launches, though contested ones. The table compares only what the reporting states.
| Question | Ukraine’s project | Rassvet |
|---|---|---|
| Stage | Announced intent. Zelenskyy says work is underway; no design published | Launches reported; rollout described as incomplete |
| Satellites reported launched | None reported in the coverage cited here | 16 in March 2026 (Reuters, 1 Oct 2026); 32 by 9 Sep 2026 (TechRadar). Whether a July group is included is disputed |
| Stated target | 120 satellites by 2027, an early plan (TechRadar, 8 Oct 2026) | Operational deployment aimed for 2027, with expansion to hundreds; 900 satellites in coming years (Reuters, 1 Oct 2026) |
| Coverage | Not stated | Limited (TechRadar, 9 Sep 2026) |
| Orbital reliability | Not applicable yet | Conflicting accounts; reported altitude problems for some satellites |
| Launch provider | SpaceX rockets in the early plan (TechRadar, 8 Oct 2026); not confirmed by Zelenskyy | Not stated in the coverage cited here |
| Terminals and user access | Not stated | Not stated in the coverage cited here |
| Timetable | Not stated by Zelenskyy | Operational “around the end of the year, beginning next year,” as projected by Zelenskyy (3 Oct 2026); 2027 deployment target (Reuters, 1 Oct 2026) |
A head-to-head performance comparison is not possible yet. Neither system has a reported service record that could be measured against Starlink’s, and the reporting for Rassvet does not establish reliability in operation.
Quick Recap
What would change the picture
- A named Ukrainian contractor, a funding figure, a satellite or terminal design, or a launch contract, published by the Ukrainian government or the company involved.
- Official Russian confirmation of Rassvet launch dates and orbits, which the July reporting said had not been given for that window.
- Dated, attributed updates to the satellite count that state which batches each figure includes.
- Evidence of Rassvet terminals in use and of actual user access, which would show whether coverage claims are translating into service.
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