Belarusian military official presenting Kulisa satellite communication system. (Source: CTVBY) Belarus announced the development of its own satellite communication system called Kulisa, positioning it as an alternative to SpaceX’s Starlink, said Belarusian military communications chief Vadim Romaniv on Belarusian national TV, reported Ukrainian media Defense Express on December 11. While Romaniv highlighted the potential of Kulisa, the broadcast didn’t feature any visuals of the system. Kulisa satellite communication system, with visible commercially available components. (Source: CTVBY) However, two weeks earlier, another Belarusian channel, CTVBY, aired a segment titled “Elon Musk Nervous! Belarusian Starlink Equivalent,” showcasing the system’s design. Kulisa satellite communication system. (Source: CTVBY) A close analysis of the video reveals that Kulisa is far from being a technological match for Starlink. Rather than featuring innovative technology, it appears to be a patchwork of commercially available components, assembled with minimal proprietary innovation. The system primarily consists of standard civilian communication equipment housed in a basic casing Its only marginally military-grade element is the “Prytok-SH” IP encryption device The setup includes a conventional satellite dish for communication, likely connected to commercial telecommunications satellites predating Starlink’s advanced network. Unlike Starlink, which has over 6,000 satellites in orbit providing seamless global coverage, Kulisa operates on much older satellite technologies. These systems were widely used in the early 2000s but have largely been phased out due to Starlink’s innovations. Kulisa satellite communication system satellite dish. (Source: CTVBY) Belarus, where Starlink is not available, has made no mention of replicating the satellite network critical to Starlink’s success. In September, Belarus launched a new propaganda platform: a state-controlled video-streaming platform called Videobel, the brainchild of the Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko himself. The website specifically published videos produced by the state and state media that have been blocked from Western audiences and social media channels. Related articles