| Function | System | Orbit | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Navigation | GLONASS | MEO (± 19,100 km, 64.8°) | Global; part of the guidance of Russian weapons |
| Missile warning | EKS "Kupol" | HEO (Tundra) | Since 2015; infrared detection of launches |
| SIGINT / maritime reconnaissance | Liana (Lotos-S, Pion-NKS) | LEO | Intercepting signals and locating ships |
| Optical reconnaissance | e.g. Persona, Bars-M | LEO (SSO) | Limited numbers; Russia partly relies on foreign commercial imagery (uncertain) |
| Communications | e.g. Meridian, Blagovest | Molniya, GEO | Military links |
Weakness
Russia has far fewer reconnaissance and communications satellites than the US or China. In the war in Ukraine, Russian units therefore used grey-import Starlink terminals on a large scale — until they were cut off in February 2026 (see the Drone Academy).