On September 25, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius warned that Russia is developing and deploying military technologies in space that could destroy satellites, posing an unprecedentedly dangerous threat to global security.
According to Pistorius, German intelligence agencies and their European allies have detected signals of Russia testing an anti-satellite system capable of disabling global communications and positioning (GPS). If these technologies are used, the consequences will not only be military but also directly affect the daily lives of billions of people, he emphasized.
Germany said it has shared intelligence with its NATO and European Union partners. The country also called on the United Nations to increase discussions on a treaty on preventing weapons of mass destruction in space.
The US has previously warned Russia about the risk of deploying anti-satellite weapons, after discovering that Russia had tested technology that could threaten commercial and military satellite systems. Russia has repeatedly denied the allegations, calling them a professional campaign to defame the countrys image.
Mr. Pistorius emphasized: "We cannot take any action by Russia lightly. Space is becoming a new front for conflict and Germany and its allies must be ready.
German military experts said that if the satellites are destroyed, important systems such as aviation, finance, telecommunications and weather forecasting will be seriously affected. The world today is heavily dependent on satellites. An attack could paralyze the entire global economy," warned Mark Kaim, an expert from the German International Research Institute.
NATO has considered space a legitimate combat area alongside land, sea, air and the network since 2019. The bloc is enhancing tracking capabilities and investing in defense technology to deal with new threats.
Russia has not responded to the German Defense Minister's statement. However, Russia has previously affirmed that it only develops space technology to "serve defensive purposes" and opposed the " spatial Militarization" initiated by the West.
The latest warning from Berlin comes amid escalating tensions between Russia and the West over the Ukraine conflict, energy crisis and economic sanctions.
Analysts say that Germany's public accusation of Russia this time shows that Europe is increasingly concerned about the risk of space becoming a new battleground, in addition to the already hot-tempered ground and cyberspace.
