Commercial satellites from the US and its allies may become legitimate targets if they are involved in the war in Ukraine, says Konstantin Vorontsov, deputy director of the Russian foreign ministry’s department for non-proliferation and arms control.
Vorontsov said the West’s use of satellites to support Ukraine was “provocative,” and accuses the US and its allies of trying to use space to enforce Western dominance.
The senior official told the United Nations First Committee that “Quasi-civilian infrastructure may be a legitimate target for a retaliatory strike”.
Vorontsov did not mention any specific satellite company, but it is no secret that Elon Musk’s SpaceX has deployed the Starlink internet service in Ukraine.
In 2021, Russia destroyed one of its own satellites using an anti-satellite missile.
