Increased Russian Interference Targeting UK Military Satellites

Mon Oct 20 2025 19:11:26 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Amid rising tensions, Russian satellites have reportedly been stalking British military assets, jamming signals weekly and posing heightened threats, according to UK Space Command.

UK military satellites are facing weekly interception attempts from Russian forces, with reports of interference and stalking by Russian satellites. Major General Paul Tedman reveals that efforts to jam communications have intensified, coinciding with increased military activities since the invasion of Ukraine. The UK government is responding by bolstering its investment in space defense technologies to counter emerging threats from adversaries.

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, said Russia had been shadowing military satellites used by their military.

Gen Tedman gave details of how Russia was doing the same to the UK. They're interested in what we're doing and flying relatively close, he said.

They've got payloads on board that can see our satellites and are trying to collect information from them. Gen Tedman said UK military satellites had been fitted with counter-jamming technologies but added: We're seeing our satellites being jammed by the Russians on a reasonably persistent basis. When asked how often, he replied weekly.

This activity has been noted as a deliberate escalation since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with Britain utilizing a handful of military satellites for essential communications and surveillance.

In contrast, the US, China, and Russia each manage over a hundred operational satellites, with the combined fleet from both Russia and China increasing by 70% over the past decade.

Concerns extend beyond surveillance; Gen Tedman has highlighted that both Russia and China have tested anti-satellite weapons, with warnings that Russia could develop capabilities to deploy nuclear arms in space.

While the US considers China a primary threat, Gen Tedman regards Russia as the immediate challenge, indicating a greater willingness from Russia to utilize counter-space systems.

The congestion in space is also alarming. Currently, around 45,000 objects orbit Earth, including roughly 9,000 satellites, with projections indicating 300 rocket launches this year.

The UK government is reacting by enhancing investments in space and missile defenses, recently announcing the testing of sensors for detecting laser threats posed by Russian and Chinese technologies.

Gen Tedman further advocated for greater prioritization of space within defense budgets, underscoring its significance to the UK economy and military operations.

Each operational alert raises the stakes; during a recent visit to RAF Fylingdales, personnel were quick to respond to a simulated ballistic missile launch warning, underscoring the ongoing challenges in countering potential threats from nations like Russia.