German Defense Minister Warns of Growing Russian Threat in Space

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius on Thursday sounded the alarm over the growing risks posed by Russian activities in space. He voiced particular concern about two Russian satellites that have been closely tracking Intelsat satellites used by the German military and other organizations.

“Russia and China have rapidly expanded their capabilities for warfare in space in recent years,” Pistorius told an aerospace conference in Berlin. “They can disrupt satellite operations, blind them, manipulate them, or even destroy them kinetically.”

He stressed the need for discussions on developing defensive and deterrent capabilities in space, citing Russia’s use of its two Luch Olymp satellites to shadow Intelsat’s platforms.