A Russian satellite has been conducting unusually close approaches to European communication spacecraft, raising concerns about potential espionage and disruption of critical civilian and military infrastructure.
Close Approaches Raise Espionage Alarms
The Russian satellite Luch-2 has been tracking European satellites and flying sufficiently close to intercept their transmissions. It has positioned itself near the Intelsat-39 spacecraft, which provides internet and mobile communications for Europe and parts of Africa. Since the communications are not encrypted, Moscow could potentially read and analyse messages and data collected by the satellite. The Russian satellite has also been conducting close approaches to European communication assets since March 2023, creating persistent surveillance risks.
Critical Infrastructure at Risk
Intelsat-39 operates in geostationary orbit approximately 35,700 kilometres above the equator, remaining fixed over one location on Earth. Such satellites are vital for telecommunications. European armed forces and security services are confirmed to use civilian, unencrypted satellites like Intelsat-39 for at least part of their communications, with the German military listed as a verified user. Any interference with its operation would impact both civilian and military communications networks across the continent.
Testing Boundaries in Legal Grey Zone
International space law currently provides no clear definition of what constitutes a safe distance between satellites or when close approach becomes a hostile act. This legal ambiguity creates a grey zone where Russia can conduct aggressive manoeuvres without formally crossing a threshold that would be universally recognised as an act of aggression. The activities appear designed to test both technical capabilities for orbital reconnaissance and the political resolve of European nations to respond to such pressures.
European Security Requires Strategic Review
The potential disabling of European communication satellites must be viewed as an attack on critical infrastructure rather than merely a technical space incident. European nations need to determine in advance that interference with such assets constitutes a collective security issue. This necessitates a revision of space strategy as part of defence planning, as modern military operations depend on secure, resilient satellite communications for command, control, and coordination.
Need for Deterrence and Protection
Replacing satellites with unencrypted links quickly is not feasible, so Europe must protect existing orbital assets. Possible responses include deploying “guardian” satellites to monitor key military or communication platforms for suspicious manoeuvres. A comprehensive deterrence model should combine enhanced satellite monitoring, encryption of communications, redundant communication channels, coordinated political responses, and clearly defined consequences for dangerous orbital activities.
