Emerging Threat: Russia's Weekly Targeting of UK Military Satellites

Sat Dec 06 2025 03:40:58 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

UK Space Command reveals ongoing Russian interference with British military satellites, highlighting an escalation of space-related tensions in the wake of the Ukraine conflict.

In a recent statement, Major General Paul Tedman of the UK Space Command disclosed that Russian satellites have been regularly stalking British military satellites, attempting to jam their signals weekly. This concerning trend reflects the increasing tensions in space reconnaissance and military capabilities amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The UK, still heavily reliant on American support for its space operations, is working on enhancing its defenses against such threats, as the reliance on satellites grows in military operations.

Russian satellites have been stalking British military satellites, according to the head of the UK Space Command.

In an interview with the BBC, Maj Gen Paul Tedman has for the first time set out the level of interference from Moscow against the UK's space-based assets. He said Russia had also been trying to jam the UK's military satellites with ground-based systems every week.

Last month, Germany's Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, mentioned that Russia had been shadowing satellites used by their military.

Gen Tedman detailed how Russia is monitoring UK military operations, stating, They're interested in what we're doing and flying relatively close . . . They've got payloads on board that can see our satellites and are trying to collect information from them. He noted that UK military satellites are equipped with counter-jamming technologies, but Russia's jamming occurs persistently.

The activity has escalated since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and while the UK operates around six military satellites, larger powers like the US and China each boast over a hundred.

Gen Tedman expressed concerns over the burgeoning threats in space, revealing that both Russia and China have tested anti-satellite weaponry. He considers Russia's willingness to utilize counter-space systems as a more immediate danger compared to China's sophisticated capabilities.

To counteract emerging threats, the UK government is set to invest more in space and missile defence, including new technology to detect laser attacks on satellites, a tactic deployed by both China and Russia. He emphasized the financial importance of space to the UK economy and urged for prioritization in defense investments.

Overall, the developments underscore the critical state of military operations in space, amid increasing global tension and the surge in satellite infrastructure.