Europe's Tech War: New Drones & Starlink Rival Target Russia

The European Union has adopted its 21st package of sanctions against Russia, specifically targeting dozens of defence-related companies and nationals deemed crucial to the Kremlin’s war efforts. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced on Thursday that the measures include over 50 military-industrial entities and key actors involved in producing Russia's long-range drones. Kallas emphasized that sanctions are vital to pressuring Russia to negotiate an end to its illegal war and stop civilian casualties. The new package also continues to target suppliers of dual-use goods and technologies from third countries, such as China and India, which are often integrated into Russian weaponry like missiles, drones, and tanks.

A significant focus of the latest sanctions is on two relatively new measures within the package's military component: the Garpiya long-range drones and the Rassvet satellite system. Regarding the Garpiya drones, the EU has employed a "different approach," as explained by a senior EU official. The strategy involves mapping out and targeting the entire manufacturing and supply network of the Garpiya/Garpiya-A1 attack drone. This "single blow" designation includes over 30 listings, encompassing companies responsible for producing warheads, rocket boosters, catapults, and other essential components for deploying these long-range weapons.

The urgency to target long-range drones stems from the immense pressure faced by Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure due to Russian bombardment, particularly after a three-day US-championed truce expired in May, leading to over 200 long-range drone attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, residential buildings, and even a kindergarten. However, Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, a senior fellow at the Bruegel think tank, expressed cautious optimism regarding the efficacy of this specific measure. While welcoming the military dimension and acknowledging it as a "well worth the effort," he noted that Russia possesses multiple types of long-range drones, suggesting that targeting just one might not "shift the needle on the strategic threat" to Ukraine or Europe in the long run.

The sanctions package also explicitly targets Russian efforts in military technology, electronics, and communications, with a particular focus on the Rassvet satellite system. This low-Earth orbit system, produced by the Russian aerospace company Bureau 1440, is widely promoted by Russian media as an alternative to Starlink, aiming to provide high-speed internet access within Russia. The first 16 Rassvet satellites were launched in March 2026, with ambitious plans to have 250 in orbit by 2027 and 900 by 2035.

Kirkegaard underscored the strategic importance of denying Russia such an alternative, recalling that previous loss of Starlink access (e.g., in February 2026) had "very significant implications on their battlefield performance." He stated that preventing Russia from establishing an alternative to Starlink is a "very important priority" for weakening its battlefield capabilities in Ukraine and impeding its long-term military threat to the EU. As Europe prepares to deter Russia independently in the long term, denying Russia military capabilities over the next 3-10 years is crucial for European security.

While Kirkegaard considers targeting Garpiya drones and Rassvet satellites efficient, he also highlighted that funding Ukraine's own long-range drone, ballistic, and cruise missile programs—often championed by nations like the Netherlands, Germany, and Nordic countries—provides more direct and substantial bolstering of Ukraine's battlefield capabilities.