Russia has begun using the Dawn satellite network for attacks on Ukraine

According to the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Russia has started using its low-orbit satellite communication system "Dawn" for strikes on Ukraine, which is being developed by the company "Bureau 1440." The new system is already being used over the territory of Ukraine for military purposes - to enhance the accuracy of strike and reconnaissance drones and their greater resistance to electronic warfare means, Reuters reported on Friday, November 6, citing information provided to the GUR. ## ## New launches of "Dawn" satellites are planned before the end of the year At the same time, the Russian satellite grouping currently lacks sufficient numbers. "The current satellite grouping is not enough to provide continuous coverage of the territory of Ukraine," explained GUR representative Andrey Yusov to Reuters. Communication is only available episodically - at those moments when satellites fly over the relevant areas. According to military experts, the system provides Russia with two "windows" of communication per day, each lasting over an hour. This allows for real-time data exchange with drones, enabling pilots to adjust flight paths directly during missions. As a result, dependence on pre-programmed routes is reduced, which in turn complicates countermeasures against such devices. Before the end of the year, Russia plans new launches of "Dawn" satellites, the GUR further reported. ## ## The "Dawn" network currently significantly lags behind the American Starlink The "Dawn" satellite system is considered Russia's response to the Starlink network owned by the American company SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk. Ukraine actively uses the military version of Starlink - the Starshield system, to which Russia has no official access. Meanwhile, the Russian network significantly lags in scale compared to the Starlink network, which consists of over 10,000 devices. It was previously reported that in March and July of this year, Russia launched a total of 32 such satellites into orbit. According to the GUR, Russia aims to expand the geographical coverage of the network and move closer to creating a full-fledged low-orbit satellite communication system. By 2035, the Russians plan to launch over 900 "Dawn" satellites into orbit. Ukraine is trying to hinder the creation of this network. President Volodymyr Zelensky imposed sanctions against ten companies involved in this project. Additionally, in August, the Armed Forces of Ukraine struck a missile center in the Samara region of Russia, where launch vehicles for the "Dawn" satellites are produced.