Russia’s low-Earth-orbit Rassvet communications system could potentially surpass Starlink in several key areas, according to military analyst and air defense historian Yuri Knutov.

Knutov identified data transmission speed as one of the system’s main potential advantages. He said Rassvet satellites can communicate directly with one another using laser links, which in his assessment could allow information to move faster than through Starlink.

Another difference, according to the analyst, is the way users could connect to the network. Knutov said Rassvet may provide satellite internet access directly to smartphones and tablets, while Starlink requires a separate terminal.

He argued that this could also make the Russian system safer to use. Even a compact terminal measuring roughly 26 by 30 centimeters takes up additional space and generates heat, he noted. In his assessment, those characteristics could reveal the location of a position and make it vulnerable to a strike.

Sergey Beskrestnov, a freelance adviser to the president of Ukraine on defense issues, previously expressed concern about the deployment of the Russian Rassvet satellite constellation. He assessed that further development of the system could create serious difficulties for Ukrainian forces.