Space Becomes New Front in Russia-Ukraine War, Forbes Reports

Ukraine is escalating its attacks on Russia's space infrastructure, targeting facilities crucial for its military and civilian space programs. A recent strike hit the Progress Rocket and Space Center in western Russia, a key producer of Soyuz rockets used for satellite and International Space Station launches.

Jelena Grossfeld of King's College London noted this attack is part of a broader Ukrainian campaign against Russia's space industry. Previous strikes have hit Roscosmos's main research center near Moscow and cosmic communication centers. These attacks aim to cripple Russia's technological capabilities, especially as it faces restrictions on high-tech product supplies.

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This attack is just one of many Ukrainian attacks against the Russian space industry.

To repair damaged infrastructure, Russia may need to resort to illegal supply channels for necessary components and microchips. The conflict has also seen Ukraine strike a radiotelescope in Crimea, originally developed by Ukrainian scientists for deep space communication. Russia had repurposed it for its GLONASS satellite navigation system.

Victoria Samson of the Secure World Foundation observes a shift in target types, indicating a widening spectrum of potential targets as the conflict progresses. Russia's initial attacks on Viasat satellite communication objects used by Ukraine for military communication have been countered by Ukraine's increasing reach. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a new missile, the FP-5 "Flamingo," capable of striking targets up to 900 kilometers from Ukraine's border, further expanding the threat to Russian facilities.

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No region of Russia can feel safe, and, of course, space objects and production enterprises are becoming targets.