NATO sources have raised concerns that Russia may be developing weapons targeting satellites, with particular focus on Elon Musk’s Starlink communications system, intelligence documents indicate. Reports reviewed by the AP news agency, cited by European Pravda, suggest Moscow is exploring technology capable of releasing hundreds of thousands of small fragments into space to damage satellites on a large scale.

These fragments, believed to measure just a few millimetres, would likely evade detection by both ground- and space-based monitoring systems, complicating attribution and making it difficult to directly implicate Russia. NATO analysts warn that such attacks could generate debris that falls back toward Earth and potentially harms other orbiting satellites, creating a cascade of risks in space.

Despite these capabilities, experts interviewed by AP suggest that the high potential for collateral damage, including threats to Russian satellites, may deter Moscow from deploying such weapons. The intelligence documents reviewed highlight that Russia views Starlink satellites as a significant strategic threat, especially given their role in supporting Ukraine amid the ongoing full-scale invasion.

Several Western nations have publicly cautioned about growing Russian threats to satellites, which are vital for both military operations and economic infrastructure. While Moscow maintains it opposes weapons in space, it denies US accusations that it has deployed orbit-based systems capable of attacking other satellites. NATO is closely monitoring these developments, noting potential concerns about the possible deployment of nuclear-capable weapons in space.