Russia has shrouded operations at Plesetsk Cosmodrome after Ukrainian drones tested its defenses during critical satellite deployments. Roscosmos chief Dmitry Bakanov told Putin that “serious inbound attempts” targeted the northern military base during March launches of the Rassvet broadband constellation, a Starlink-style network designed to rival the system supporting Ukraine’s battlefield communications.

Bureau 1440 is building Rassvet with backing exceeding $1.2 billion, accelerating a military data relay meant to reduce reliance on foreign infrastructure. December and March launch attempts occurred alongside drone incursions that local officials acknowledged forced temporary mobile Internet cuts, while Russian outlets reported downed UAV debris near pads used for Soyuz-2.1 rockets carrying reconnaissance and communications payloads.

Moscow now issues sprawling, multi-day airspace warnings that mask countdowns and delay public clarity around liftoffs. This opacity follows repeated strikes on Russian bases and reflects recognition that civilian satellite networks have become strategic targets in a war where Plesetsk’s rockets directly enable military command and control.