Russia Tests Rassvet in Arctic Amid Confrontation With NATO
Russian company Bureau 1440 tested satellite communications with real users in the Arctic.
Ella Pamfilova, Russian Central Election Commission Chair, reported the test on September 20.
During the experiment, residents of a settlement in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug accessed the remote electronic voting system through a satellite channel.
The system used Bureau 1440’s low-Earth orbit satellites to transmit data to a dedicated user terminal on the ground.
The signal was then transmitted via Wi-Fi to the user’s tablet, from which they could connect to the electronic voting system.
The test differed from the company’s previous technical trials, in which Bureau 1440 engineers tested the connection directly.
This time, real users in a remote settlement used the satellite channel.
According to Pamfilova, the experiment was successful. After its completion, the Russian Central Election Commission plans to assess whether to extend the technology to other regions with limited access to traditional telecommunications infrastructure.
Russia has 37 regions with hard-to-reach areas where the technology could potentially be used.
Bureau 1440 is deploying Russia’s Rassvet low-Earth orbit satellite communications system. In March 2026, the company launched the first 16 satellites of the planned constellation, followed by another 16 spacecraft in July.
The company says the system uses 5G NTN technology for communications between satellites and ground terminals.
Bureau 1440 is also developing inter-satellite laser communications. During previous tests, the company said it had transmitted data between spacecraft over distances of up to 1,000 km at speeds of up to 10 Gbps. These figures are the company’s own claims.
The main reason for the network’s rapid deployment is that Russia accelerated its development after successfully disrupting Starlink service along the front line.
Russian units previously used terminals of the U.S. system, while in January 2026, the Ukrainian side reported that Shahed drones were operating through Starlink.
This prompted the Ministry of Defense to contact SpaceX. Its own network would eliminate Moscow’s dependence on an external provider that could be compelled to shut down the service.
Rassvet could be important not only for communications, but also for controlling drones, coordinating operations and transmitting data in real time. The terminals could potentially be installed on drones, aircraft, and even missiles.
However, as of July 2026, these satellites were already providing at least two “communications windows” per day over Ukraine, each lasting over an hour.
Militarny previously reported that Russia considers increased NATO military activity in the Arctic a direct threat to its security.
Source: Militaryni
