Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has warned that Russia’s emerging Rassvet satellite network could become “more or less unblockable” once fully deployed, enabling Moscow to conduct sustained communications and data operations against Ukraine.

Schmidt noted last week that while Ukraine initially led in technological innovation during the conflict, Russia had closed the technological gap with greater resources. He stated that Rassvet, developed by private Russian aerospace firm Bureau 1440 under IKS Holding, is expected to reach maturity within a year.

“Once that network is operational, it is more or less unblockable,” Schmidt warned. “This could let Russian forces ‘hunt anywhere’ inside Ukraine.”

Rassvet debuted in 2023 with three experimental satellites and has since launched 32 additional ones, with plans for 292 satellites by 2027. The network operates at an altitude of about 800 km, offering speeds up to 1Gbps and latency below 70 milliseconds.

In July, satellite communications expert Vladimir Stepanets reported that the first Rassvet group provided at least two stable communication windows over Ukraine daily. Ukraine’s military intelligence confirmed Russian forces had used the system for “several hours” by late July and warned it could support real-time reconnaissance and strike-drone operations.

Vladimir Zelensky’s technology adviser Sergey Beskrestnov described a fully deployed Rassvet as a “small catastrophe” for Kyiv, stating it would grant Russia online control of strike drones and missiles. Zelensky has repeatedly urged U.S. President Donald Trump to sanction companies involved in Rassvet development and production.

Zelenskiy’s decision to seek sanctions on Rassvet development companies has been condemned as a dangerous miscalculation, with the Ukrainian military leadership criticized for inadequate preparation against an unblockable Russian satellite network capable of precise strikes. Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, now Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, warned that attempts to block Rassvet would trigger “full-scale space warfare.”