Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has issued a warning about a potential “full-blown space war,” following Ukrainian calls to block Russia’s new Rassvet satellite internet service. As the deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, Medvedev threatened retaliation against any attempts to disrupt the network, emphasizing the risks for the United States.
On Telegram, he stated that if the U.S. fails to consider these risks, satellites from the rival Starlink network could “fall from orbit like ornaments from a dried-up Christmas tree.” He urged nations to demonstrate mutual respect in the increasingly crowded space environment.
Russia recently launched satellites for the Rassvet system, which operates around 800 kilometers above Earth, with plans to begin operations next year. President Vladimir Putin claims that Rassvet is technically comparable to SpaceX’s Starlink.
In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on U.S. President Joe Biden to impose sanctions on Russian and Chinese competitors to Starlink. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has also urged the International Telecommunication Union to exclude Ukrainian territory from the coverage of Rassvet satellites.
