Russia threatens to shoot down Western commercial satellites used by Ukraine

EUROPEAN PRAVDA –

THURSDAY, 27 OCTOBER 2022, 11:11

 

Konstantin Vorontsov, senior official of the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated that Russia may regard Western commercial satellites as legitimate targets if they are used to help Ukraine in the war.

Source: European Pravda, with reference to TASS, Russian state-owned news outlet, quoting Vorontsov

Vorontsov is the Deputy Director of the Department of Non-Proliferation and Arms Control of the Russian Foreign Ministry. His statement was made at the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly.

Vorontsov called the “use by the United States and its allies of civilian, including commercial, infrastructure elements in outer space for military purposes” to be “an extremely dangerous trend … that has become apparent during the latest developments in Ukraine”.

“Quasi-civilian infrastructure may become a legitimate target for retaliation. Western actions needlessly put at risk the sustainability of peaceful space activities, as well as numerous social and economic processes on Earth that affect the well-being of people, first of all in developing countries.” Vorontsov said.

The Starlink satellite communication system from SpaceX plays an extremely important role for Ukraine.