How do Russian mission controllers communicate with returning Soyuz
vehicles during the deorbit burn and early reentry period, which
must happen well away from Russian ground stations to allow landing
in Kazahstan? Coverage of the return on NASA television has
included nearly continuous audio up through atmospheric entry.

Do they relay the radio traffic through ISS, and backhaul it via
TDRS? If so, has ISS always had this capability, even back when
there was only Zvezda, Zarya and Node 1?

What did the USSR do during the Mir and Salyut days, when they were
on their own? Was there a network of supporting ground stations
around the world, like the US had during Apollo?
--
Jordan.