Zelensky says China is helping Russia build a Starlink rival; asks Trump for sanctions
President Volodymyr Zelensky told the Financial Times that China is helping Russia build a satellite network called "Рассвет" (Dawn) as a Starlink analogue, and that he has repeatedly asked US President Donald Trump to sanction the companies involved. Zelensky also said he asked Trump to allow Ukraine to use Starlink-equipped drones for strikes on Russian ballistic missile launchers and drone sites up to 200 km inside Russia. The Chinese Foreign Ministry, the Kremlin and the White House did not respond to FT's requests for comment.
Key points
- Zelensky says China is helping Russia build the "Рассвет" satellite network, described as an analogue of SpaceX's Starlink.
- Zelensky has asked Trump "several times" to sanction companies involved in "Рассвет"; the issue was last raised at their September meeting in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
- Zelensky said "Рассвет" could become operational by the end of 2026 or early 2027.
- Zelensky warned "Рассвет" could improve the accuracy of Russian airstrikes on Ukraine and, per one expert, allow Russia to control drones on the territory of Ukraine's partners directly from Russia.
- Zelensky asked Trump to authorise strikes by Starlink-equipped drones on Russian ballistic missile launchers and drone sites up to 200 km inside Russia; Trump said he supported the idea but that the decision was up to Elon Musk, per Zelensky.
- Ukraine publicly asked the US on 1 October to sanction Russian companies and individuals tied to "Рассвет"; Russia has launched 32 "Рассвет" satellites, with a second batch orbited on 20 July by Bureau 1440 from Plesetsk.
- China's Foreign Ministry, the Kremlin and the White House did not respond to FT; Beijing has previously denied Zelensky's accusations that it is supplying weapons to the Russian army.
Why it matters
Zelensky's allegation adds a new Chinese input to the list of foreign support for Russia's war effort, and pairs it with a concrete request for US sanctions on the companies involved — a decision Washington could act on directly. If the network becomes operational, Russia would gain a sovereign satellite communications backbone that, according to one expert, could sharpen its airstrikes on Ukraine and extend drone control into the territory of Ukraine's partners. At the same time, Zelensky's parallel request to use Starlink-equipped drones deep inside Russia has put the question of escalation, and the role of Elon Musk, back at the centre of US-Ukrainian decision-making.
What happened
In an interview with the Financial Times, President Volodymyr Zelensky said China is helping Russia build a satellite network called "Рассвет" (Dawn) intended to function as a Starlink analogue, and that he has asked US President Donald Trump several times to sanction the companies and entities involved. The request was most recently raised at a meeting between Zelensky and Trump in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September, and on 1 October Ukraine publicly asked Washington to sanction Russian companies and individuals tied to the project. Zelensky also said he asked Trump to allow Ukraine to use Starlink-equipped drones to strike Russian ballistic missile launchers and drone launch sites up to 200 km inside Russia; according to Zelensky, Trump said he supported the idea but that the decision was up to Elon Musk. The Financial Times reported that Musk is not opposed but considers the final call a political one for the US administration. The Chinese Foreign Ministry, the Kremlin and the White House did not respond to FT's requests for comment. Zelensky said "Рассвет" could become operational by the end of 2026 or early 2027, and warned it could improve the accuracy of Russian airstrikes on Ukraine.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
The four Ukrainian outlets carrying the story — LIGA.net, Yevropeiska Pravda (European Truth), ZN.UA and NV — centre Zelensky's account of Chinese assistance to Russia, the sanctions request to Trump, and the alleged strike-enabling potential of "Рассвет". They foreground Ukrainian-source details that are not in international reporting: the 1 October statement by the deputy head of the Ukrainian embassy in Washington, Denys Senyk, requesting sanctions; the 20 July launch of a second batch of "Рассвет" satellites by the Russian company Bureau 1440 from the Plesetsk cosmodrome; and the technical estimate by presidential adviser Serhii Beskrestnov (Flash) that a baseline constellation would require 12–15 Soyuz-2.1b launches, each carrying 20 satellites. They also highlight domestic and allied threat assessments, including Rob Lee's analysis for the Foreign Policy Research Institute and satellite-communications expert Volodymyr Stepanets's 1 August report that "Рассвет" satellites already provide at least two daily communication windows of more than an hour over Ukraine, framing the system primarily as a danger to Ukraine and to its long-range drone capabilities.
Where reporting differs
The sources diverge on three points. First, on the timing of "Рассвет"'s entry into service: some accounts cite Zelensky as giving the specific range "end of 2026 / beginning of 2027", while others use the vaguer "end of this year or beginning of next", consistent with the same window. Second, on Elon Musk's role in any decision to let Ukraine use Starlink-equipped drones inside Russia: Zelensky says Trump told him the decision depends on Musk, whereas the Financial Times reports that Musk himself is not opposed and considers the final call a political one for the US administration. Third, on the scope of the sanctions request: some accounts say Zelensky asked for sanctions on companies from both Russia and China, while others describe the request as targeting Russian entities only.
Background
Russia has so far launched 32 "Рассвет" satellites, with the second batch orbited on 20 July by Bureau 1440 from the Plesetsk cosmodrome after an earlier March launch. Russian forces previously used Starlink to operate certain strike drones, including the "Молнія" (Molniya) and "Італмас" BM-35, but their access for that purpose was restricted, which, according to Zelensky, accelerated Russian work on "Рассвет" with Chinese support. Ukrainian presidential adviser Serhii Beskrestnov (Flash) has estimated that a baseline constellation would require 12–15 Soyuz-2.1b launches, each carrying 20 satellites, with most components produced by the Progress enterprise that Ukraine has struck with Flamingo missiles. Satellite-communications expert Volodymyr Stepanets reported on 1 August that "Рассвет" satellites already provide at least two communication windows per day over Ukraine, each lasting more than an hour. Beijing has previously denied Zelensky's accusations that it is supplying weapons to the Russian army, and the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the Kremlin and the White House did not respond to FT's latest requests for comment. The German Bundeswehr has warned of a possible threat from the Starlink alternative Russia is seeking to create, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb has asked Elon Musk to expand Starlink coverage in Ukraine so that it can strike Russian ballistic missile launchers. Trump has recently pressed Zelensky to halt Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries, which Trump says are driving up diesel prices in the United States.