With the help of images from space, the Ukrainian army has achieved humiliating successes for Russia. Moscow is therefore threatening to shoot down US satellites. A clear warning comes from Washington.
Following Russia’s threats to shoot down US satellites, the US has warned of such attacks. “All I want to say is that for any attack on US infrastructure, there will be a response, and one commensurate with the threat to our infrastructure,” said National Security Council communications director John Kirby. Russia had previously threatened to attack commercial US satellites if they continued to be used to transmit data to Kyiv in the Ukraine war.
According to a TASS report, Konstantin Vorontsov, representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry at the United Nations, said on Thursday night that it was a dangerous tendency for the United States to use civilian satellites for military conflicts. “The quasi-civilian infrastructure can thus become a legitimate target for a counterattack,” Vorontsov was quoted as saying. The West is thus putting civil space travel, but also many social and economic projects on earth, at risk.
Kirby responded that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine was dangerous and provocative. They continue to support Ukraine – and nothing will change in this approach. The US will continue to use all means to expose, deter and hold Russia accountable, Kirby said.
In the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, satellite images play an important role in reconnaissance. A number of Western countries are making data available to Kyiv for its defence. Since Russia’s satellite network, for its part, is less dense, Ukraine has a partial information advantage here. Russia is quite capable of hitting satellites in space. In November last year, Russia shot down one of its own discarded satellites with a laser weapon, causing international outrage.
