After Lagging for Years, Russia Rolls Out Starlink Imitations at Zapad-2025

Russia has rolled out newly developed satellite communication terminals during the joint Zapad-2025 military drills with Belarus, according to photos released by the Belarusian Ministry of Defense on September 14.

The terminals, identified as the “Kvadrat” and “Sprint” systems, were deployed to provide secure communications for units of the regional joint force. Both systems are fresh arrivals in the Russian military’s arsenal.

However, Ukrainian defense analysts from Militarnyi note that the equipment labeled as “Sprint” is almost certainly the Spirit-030 terminal, based on the design of its antenna.

Russian state media only revealed its delivery to the army this past June, when it was first spotted in service with the 144th Motor Rifle Division of the 20th Combined Arms Army.

While official specifications remain classified, the Spirit-030 is described as a compact, suitcase-sized device with a fold-out antenna that delivers stable communications to unit command posts, according to Militarnyi.

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The “Kvadrat” terminal, meanwhile, is a mystery, Militarnyi states. No technical details exist in open sources, though photos show a device that visually resembles a bulked-up version of SpaceX’s Starlink terminals.

Unlike the smaller Spirit-030, the Kvadrat is reportedly capable of transmitting large data volumes across regiment- or division-level formations, supporting multiple communication systems, secure email, and video conferencing.

Earlier, Russian defense developers presented a new drone system that can be controlled through Starlink terminals or mobile networks, despite the service being officially unavailable in Russia.

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