On February 3, thanks to the cooperation of the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and the company SpaceX, the Starlink verification system was launched. Now only those terminals that are included in the official "white list" remain active on the territory of Ukraine. For the Russians, this was a real disaster: not having the opportunity to confirm the legality of their terminals, the occupiers lost access to high-speed communication. One of the results is already noted that they began to have problems with the management of units, and assault operations stopped in many directions.
The Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) is already recording chaos in the logistics and control of the enemy's drones. In particular, this is confirmed by intercepted conversations - the Russians are forced to look for alternatives to Starlink, but each of them only emphasizes their backwardness from SpaceX technologies.
Adaptis figured out what exactly the occupiers are trying to use after blocking Starlink and why Russia has already lost this battle of technologies.
Satellite communication system from "Gazprom" » satellite-based "Yamal" »
Earlier, in his Telegram channel, the spokesman for the Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Serhiy "Flash" Beskrestnov, reported that the occupiers had begun to supply satellite Internet terminals to the front, operating via Russian civilian satellites of the Yamal and Express series. Unlike Starlink terminals, these antennas have an oval or round shape with a diameter of 60 to 120 centimeters, similar to a satellite dish for television. Due to their larger size, they are also more difficult to hide or attach to UAVs. But even despite their compactness, it has previously been recorded that the Russians used these terminals on their sea drones, as well as on passenger trains.
Source: Defense Express
However, this system already loses to Starlink for one simple reason – another technology – GEO.
" Currently, no satellite system will replace the Starlink technology for the Russians. The Yamal satellites are located in geostationary orbit, which means that the signal from them travels much longer. This is critical for tasks related to control and fast data exchange. So for the Russians, this solution is a complete failure." » , – explains Adaptis CEO Anton Sadikov.
In short, GEO and LEO satellites differ in that the former are located at a distance of about 36,000 km above the Earth, while the latter are approximately 500 km. In particular, this creates a huge signal delay, reaching 600–1200 milliseconds, which makes online control of drones almost impossible. However, the difference is not only in distance. GEO satellites are located at a fixed point and move at the same speed as the Earth. And LEO satellites make up a whole constellation that is constantly in motion. It works in such a way that signals are transmitted not only between the ground station and the satellite, but also from one satellite to another. This creates not only a high-quality and fast signal, but also the reliability of the network itself. After all, if one satellite fails, its functions are compensated by the others.
Considering both satellite technologies, there is another important factor that explains why the Russian alternative based on GEO satellites will not replace Starlink. Geostationary satellites have a strong radio signature. This means that their signals are very noticeable to the radio reconnaissance and electronic warfare equipment of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
We explained in more detail the difference between GEO and LEO orbits in our material .
Satellite constellation "The Good News" »
This is a constellation of four satellites, which is also located in GEO orbit. And it was deployed in the period from 2017 to 2019 specifically for the needs of the Russian Ministry of Defense. Although the detailed technical parameters of this system remain, for obvious reasons, classified, its functional purpose is quite clear: creating channels for the rapid transmission of large volumes of data and ensuring stable access to the network for strategic objects. Various terminals or stations can be connected to this constellation of satellites, but here again the main drawback is the large size of the equipment and its visibility for anti-aircraft missile systems.
Yes, one of the options for connecting to "The Good News" » is the Auriga-1,2V station. However, it is difficult to call it mobile, because it has considerable weight and requires additional radio equipment. However, even despite this factor, the enemy continues to actively use these stations. According to Defense Express, such stations began to be supplied to the enemy army, approximately, since 2014. And for example, the Ukrainian military managed to capture one such in 2022 in the Kyiv region.
Source: Wikipedia
LEO satellites from "Bureau 1440" »
Another alternative for the enemy could be a solution from a Russian aerospace company "Bureau 1440" ». They plan to create their own high-speed satellite Internet network in low Earth orbit. The official plans look very ambitious: the deployment of a constellation of satellites in 2027, which will include 288 devices. However, reality significantly diverges from the loud statements, as the project encountered certain difficulties right from the start.
The first alarm bell was the failure to launch the pilot batch of 16 satellites, which was supposed to appear in low orbit in 2025. The launch has now been postponed to 2026, which automatically calls into question the possibility of implementing the entire project on time. Even if they manage to do it this year, increasing the number of devices to the required three hundred in such a short period of time is practically unrealistic.
In addition, the question of logistics remains open: the lack of available launch vehicles for these satellites makes each launch very expensive. Given these factors, a full launch of the system in 2027 looks extremely doubtful, turning the project into another application. "analogous".
Source: Secret Projects
Stratospheric 5G platform
Recently, information appeared in the Russian media about the launch of the first unmanned stratospheric platform, Barrage-1. It was reported that it is positioned as an unmanned stratostat capable of lifting loads weighing up to 100 kg to a height of about 20 km. The main task of Barrage-1 is to raise the 5G NTN communication station. And purely in theory, placing repeaters at such a height allows covering huge areas with high-speed Internet where the construction of ground towers is impossible or impractical. In addition, it is much cheaper than using satellite technology. But this also has its drawbacks, which the Russians do not seem to take into account. The stratostat has the ability to "maneuver", changing the flight altitude to move in the desired direction. However, such devices inevitably drift, that is, they literally move with the wind. In our latitudes, the so-called western transfer prevails - a constant movement of air masses from west to east at high altitudes. For the occupiers, this means that the wind will in most cases work "in the rear", carrying their communication platforms deep into the territory of the Russian Federation and leaving the front line without coverage.
Source: rosZMI
Conclusion
Whatever Starlink alternatives the Russians try to use, they are not capable of fully replacing Musk's technology. After all, all these solutions have critical limitations: strong signal delay, bulky equipment, vulnerability to electronic warfare, logistical difficulties, or even dependence on weather conditions. So the story with the "alternatives" once again confirms: loud statements about "analogous" networks do not work without a real technological base.
And the key issue is not so much the technology, but the readiness of new systems for use. After all, Starlink is an already deployed LEO constellation of thousands of satellites and years of development have been spent on building a complete system. Creating something of this level is not a quick and expensive process.
