Russian spy spacecraft intercept communications of over a dozen European satellites, risk collision

Russian spy spacecraft intercept communications of over a dozen European satellites, risk collision

Security officials have warned that Russian spy spacecraft could manipulate the orbits of European satellites and even crash them, according to Financial Times report.

European sources believe that two Russian satellites, Luch-1 and Luch-2, have intercepted communications of over a dozen critical satellites across Europe amid rising tensions after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Orbital data indicates that Luch-2 has approached 17 European satellites since its March 2023 launch. The intercepted satellites carry both civilian and sensitive military communications.

A senior European intelligence official told the Financial Times that the Russian spacecraft deliberately position themselves within the narrow data beams transmitted from Earth to the satellites, making them vulnerable to interference or potential destruction if command data is unencrypted.

"Satellite networks are an Achilles heel of modern societies. Whoever attacks them can paralyse entire nations," said German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius. "The Russian activities are a fundamental threat to all of us, especially in space. A threat we must no longer ignore."

Both satellites are believed to be conducting signals intelligence (“sigint”) operations. Major General Michael Traut, head of the German military’s space command, said, "Both satellites are suspected of 'doing sigint [signals intelligence] business.'"

Major General Paul Tedman, head of UK Space Command, added in October that Russian forces are targeting British military satellites on a weekly basis, with persistent attempts to collect information.

The incidents are part of what Western officials describe as Russia’s growing "hybrid warfare," which has included damage to undersea cables and pipelines, GPS interference, and drone incursions. Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chair of NATO’s Military Committee, said last December that the alliance needs a more "aggressive" approach to deter Moscow from further hybrid attacks.

Defence experts note that space has become a strategic battlefield. Belinda Marchand, chief science officer at US-based Slingshot Aerospace, highlighted that Luch-2 is currently “in proximity” to Intelsat 39, a key geostationary satellite servicing Europe and Africa.

Germany plans to invest approximately £31 billion in space projects aimed at strengthening satellite security and military space systems against sabotage. Pistorius stressed that NATO allies should consider developing offensive space capabilities as a deterrent. He warned that Russia might even deploy nuclear weapons in space, noting the importance of protective measures.

Major General Vincent Chusseau, France’s top military space official, said that hostile activities in orbit have intensified since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. "Space is now a fully-fledged operational domain," he told Reuters, noting that Russia and China are rapidly advancing their capabilities, including the potential to disrupt satellite operations, blind or manipulate satellites, and even destroy them.

While Moscow denies deploying weapons in orbit and claims opposition to militarisation of space, Western officials remain concerned over the increasing proximity and shadowing of satellites by Russian spacecraft.