🇷🇺 📡 Russia’s hi-tech Starlink analog could free Global South from US tech dominance: Here’s how

Roscosmos is “moving at a rapid pace” toward fielding an alternative to Elon Musk’s satellite internet empire. Veteran military expert Yuri Knutov breaks things down.

What’s Russia building?

🟠 Bureau 1440 is working on a low-Earth orbit sat net for broadband data delivery. Multiple test vehicles are already in orbit, with comms tested at ranges of 30-1,000 km.

🟠 First stage of series deployment slated for December (300 satellites); 900 in stage 2. ~500 base stations are planned, with terminal coming “soon.”

🟠 System’s trial roll-out is planned for 2027.

What makes Russia’s version better?

🟠 Musk’s system works like this: ground-based Starlink Gateways communicate with orbiting satellites using electromagnetic radiation, with signals then communicated back down to Earth-based terminals.

🟠 Russia’s system uses laser beams, which “are more modern digital technologies providing faster & higher quality data transmission, as well as improved resistance to interference,” Knutov explains.

💬 An effective range of up to 5,000 km “means far fewer satellites are needed than Elon Musk’s system (hundreds vs thousands),” Knutov explains.

💬 “We’ve been able to completely compensate” for the Doppler signal frequency issue, occurring from the high speeds (27,000 km/h) at which satellites orbit Earth, “allowing the signal to be maintained virtually free of interference & distortion.”

The system will provide secure, high-speed communications to:

🟠 Russian resource sector companies working in remote areas

🟠 Ships situated anywhere on Earth

🟠 Military, for command, control & real-time battlefield reports, ensuring informed decision-making

💬 “Nations of the Global South understand that dependence on the US makes them vulnerable. Internet access via Starlink can be restricted at any time. Availability of a Russian system providing equally good or even better services is crucial,” Knutov stresses.

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🪖🇮🇱🇺🇸 Self-sufficient defense? Israel can't survive without the US

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu is pushing for a totally self-sufficient defense industry as arms embargoes tighten over the Gaza war. But is it a realistic aim?

👉 Dependence on the US

Netanyahu's pledge is "absolutely not realistic," veteran war correspondent Elijah Magnier tells Sputnik.

💬 "Israel cannot survive without the US not only in armament supply but also intelligence, and participation to support the Israeli Air Force, particularly during long-range operations, including bombing missions against groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon."

👉 US support for Israel

The US-Israel 10-year security agreement, running from 2019 to 2028, is valued at $38 billion – an average of $3.8 billion per year.

It follows a $30 billion deal signed in 2007 which expired in 2018.

👉 Israeli air defenses aren't home-made

⚫️The Iron Dome missile defense system is a co-production between Israeli arms firm Rafael and US companies.

⚫️The David’s Sling system is also a joint Rafael-Raytheon development with US input in design, research and development and production.

⚫️The Arrow 2 and 3 anti-ballistic missile systems are co-funded by the US and Israel, with Boeing handling 40%–50% of Arrow 3 production — hard to replace quickly or cheaply.

⚫️The THAAD ABMs remain fully US-run.

🔍 Who supplies Israel?

SIPRI estimates that from 2020 to 2024, the US provided 66% of Israel’s arms – jets, armored vehicles and guided bombs.

Germany gave 33% included frigates and torpedoes.

Italy contributed 0.9%.

Replacing them with domestic production is impossible.

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🚨 🇷🇺 Russia is advancing in almost all directions in special operation zone - General Staff

The most intense battles are unfolding near Pokrovsk (Krasnoarmeysk), where Ukraine is unsuccessfully trying to halt the advance of the Russian army, Chief of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, said.

Other statements by Gerasimov:

🟠 The "Zapad" troop grouping is advancing in Kupyansk

🟠 The advancement of the Russian Armed Forces is progressing successfully on the Krasnolimansk direction, and the liberation of Kirovsk is nearing completion

🟠 The Ukrainian Armed Forces have redeployed their most capable units to the Pokrovsk (Krasnoarmeysk) area at the expense of other directions, which is aiding the advancement of the Russian Armed Forces

🟠 Assault units of the "Yug" troop grouping are advancing in Seversk

🟠 Fighting in the Aleksandro-Kalinovka direction is taking place in close proximity to Konstantinovka, with Russian forces entering Plescheyevka

🟠 The destruction of the enemy continues, blocked south of the Kleban-Byk Reservoir

🟠 The "Vostok" troop grouping is advancing in the Dnepropetrovsk and Zaporozhye regions

🟠 Gerasimov noted the role of the Marine Corps in achieving the goals of the special military operation: "There is full confidence that the tasks set will continue to be successfully accomplished."

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🟠 Bombshell Gaza genocide report gives UN right to intervene militarily to stop Israel

🟠 Self-sufficient defense? Israel can't survive without the US

🟠 Ukraine tries to sabotage current US efforts on conflict resolution – Lavrov

🟠 Huge anti-Trump protest encompasses London

🟠 Russia’s hi-tech Starlink analog could free Global South from US tech dominance

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✈️🚫 Possible no-fly zone over Ukraine could cause ‘HUGE challenges for West’

The Pentagon is unlikely to support the creation of such a zone because it would mean “this goes from a proxy war to a DIRECT confrontation,” Michael Carpenter, former US ambassador to the OSCE, told the NYT.

❓ The West will face a dilemma:

If they fail to stop drones, "it would expose NATO’s impotence. And if they intercepted them with costly missiles— their only real option with their current defenses—it would rapidly deplete arsenals,” the outlet pointed out.

Poland is promoting the idea of creating a no-fly zone over Ukraine due to recent drone incursions into Polish territory.

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🇨🇳 👓 China’s cutting-edge tech: Smart glasses used for speech at CAEXPO 2025

💬 "My speech noscript is right here in the glasses — invisible to you, but perfectly clear to me," said Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region Communist Party Secretary Chen Gang at the 22nd China-ASEAN Expo opening ceremony.

Showing off state-of-the-art technology, Chen wore the smart glasses which blend innovation and style.

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🇵🇸 UK set to recognise Palestine after Trump’s visit – reports

The UK government is preparing to formally recognise Palestine as a state once President Trump concludes his state visit to London, The Times reported.

Downing Street delayed the announcement to avoid a clash with the US, which remains strongly opposed. Trump has warned recognition would “reward Hamas,” while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed it would “make peace less likely” and hinted Israel could retaliate by annexing parts of the West Bank.

According to The Times, Britain intends to move ahead before the UN General Assembly next week, joining France, Canada and Australia in supporting recognition. The decision follows months of pressure inside the Labour Party, with over 130 MPs signing a letter in favour.

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper condemned Israel’s assault on Gaza City as “utterly reckless and appalling,” saying it would “kill more innocent civilians and endanger the remaining hostages.”

Earlier this year, London also imposed sanctions on Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, citing their role in settler violence and use of “horrendous extremist language.”

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