A OneWeb satellite launch by Russia's Soyuz 2 rocket (Photo: Roscosmos).
In a statement released on April 5, the Russian Foreign Ministry accused Ukraine of attempting to hack into its telecommunications satellites. Moscow asserted that Kiev’s plan could receive help from a third party.
"Kiev, with the support of specialists from many countries around the world , is trying to penetrate and influence our telecommunications satellite network," the statement said.
Without providing specific evidence, the Russian Foreign Ministry asserted that Ukraine's plan violated international law and warned that Russia would take appropriate retaliatory measures. Moscow also stressed that Russia has the capacity and means to carry out these retaliatory measures.
If Russia’s allegations are true, Ukrainian hackers could have infiltrated Moscow’s satellite control network and disabled it, observers say. Hackers could also have taken control of the satellites and given them commands to cause physical damage.
Military expert Michael Clarke said in April 2022 that the Russia-Ukraine conflict marked the beginning of the era of space warfare, especially in terms of providing battlefield communications.
For Russia, a dense network of telecommunications and military satellites has helped the country's army gain an advantage on the battlefield thanks to its ability to communicate quickly and smoothly. Russian satellites also help guide the country's precision weapons to attack targets on Ukrainian territory.
However, due to the impact of US and Western sanctions, Russia's space industry is currently facing many difficulties due to a lack of imported components and spare parts.
On the Ukrainian side, the country also received satellite connectivity at the end of February 2022 after SpaceX, the company of American billionaire Elon Musk, stepped in and delivered tens of thousands of Starlink satellite connectors to the Ukrainian military.
Starlink connectivity allows the Ukrainian military to have a reliable and powerful information system.
Using a satellite-based Internet system, connected to a network of thousands of small spacecraft circling the Earth in low orbit, Ukrainian units can maintain communications to coordinate operations quickly and securely. Ukrainian soldiers use these systems to coordinate counterattack missions or request artillery support. Meanwhile, Ukrainian civilians use Starlink to stay in touch with loved ones at home and abroad.
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