According to analysts, such an act of sabotage is beneficial to Russia because it will be impossible to prove its guilt.
Points of attention
- Russia is deploying a new phase of hybrid warfare in space through potential nuclear sabotage, posing a significant threat to satellite communications, including those crucial for Ukraine.
- Experts highlight the strategic advantage Russia would gain from such sabotage, as proving its involvement would be extremely challenging, providing 'plausible deniability'.
- The plan includes nuclear sabotage that could disable US, European, and SpaceX satellites, with potential catastrophic consequences akin to an orbital version of the attack on Pearl Harbor, according to space weapons expert Elena Grossfeld.
Experts sound the alarm over new threat from Russia in space
Russia is unleashing a new phase of hybrid warfare, this time in space. The Kremlin is considering launching an in-orbit "nuclear sabotage" capable of disabling US, European and SpaceX satellites.
The beauty of this sabotage is that it will be impossible to prove. Moscow will get the satellites destroyed and “plausible deniability” as a gift, says space weapons expert Elena Grossfeld of King’s College London.
According to US intelligence, Russia is working on a secret project to place nuclear weapons in space. One option is a nuclear explosion near the Van Allen radiation belt, which would cause a cascade of satellite failures without direct attack.
Grossfeld argues that such a scenario is an orbital version of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
One explosion and thousands of satellites are out of action. It's a game-changer.
SpaceX's Starlink satellites, which provide communications for the Ukrainian government, military, and civilians, are particularly vulnerable. Russia has already attacked Starlink terminals on the ground and has repeatedly threatened to shoot down the company's satellites.
Moscow is investing in anti-satellite weapons of various types—missiles, lasers, cyberattacks. But a nuclear explosion is the pinnacle of this arsenal.
Despite previous attacks—such as the destruction of Viasat's ground system before the invasion of Ukraine—NATO has not taken decisive action.
Russia sees space as a chance to regain its superpower status, even if it destroys some of its own satellites in the process.
