Space becomes critical front in Ukraine war
The gist
Ukraine struck Russia's Samara rocket plant and is building its own satellite network as space turns into a war front.
Satellites now guide drones and missiles, so orbital access shapes the battlefield.
How it unfolded
- Feb 2022Russia's invasion crippled Ukraine's communications; SpaceX began providing Starlink service, which relays signals through more than 10,000 satellites in low Earth orbit.
- Feb 1, 2026SpaceX switched off all Starlink terminals operating in Ukraine except those on a white list approved by the Defence Ministry in Kyiv.
- Jun 30, 2026Zelenskyy said long-range sanctions reached the Dubna space communications centre; Russian authorities said an unspecified building in Dubna was damaged and a six-month-old baby died.
Key terms
- low Earth orbit
- An orbit around Earth at a relatively low altitude, typically below about 2,000 kilometers.
- white list
- A list of entities granted a particular privilege, service, or access, while those not listed are excluded.
- space control weapons
- Weapons used in space warfare that can attack satellites in orbit, hit Earth targets from space, or intercept missiles.
Source: Wikipedia