Will the new branch of the military be able to intercept missiles in space?
Ukraine wants to establish its own space forces. This is, among other things, related to countering Russian “Oreshnik” missiles.
This was stated in an interview with RBK-Ukraine by Member of Parliament Fyodor Venislavsky, who heads the subcommittee on state security of the defense committee of the Verkhovna Rada.
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The legal dimension and countering the “Oreshnik”
The trajectory of the “Oreshnik” missile passes at an altitude of over 100 km, that is, in space, which is not limited by state borders. However, the Ukrainian ground air defense operates at altitudes of up to 30-40 kilometers.
“Therefore, the question of the necessity of creating Space Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine aims, among other things, at the legal legitimization of the Armed Forces’ activities in a new military domain – space,” the MP explained in an interview with RBK-Ukraine.
To effectively destroy such targets, interception must occur before the moment of separation of the warheads in space. According to the MP, it is significantly easier to shoot down a missile carrier at an altitude of over 100 km than to try to destroy six hypersonic maneuvering warheads during their descent. But for now, the focus is on early warning.
“First and foremost, this is about early notification of launches and warning the population about the threat of missile attacks from the enemy using ballistic missiles, including air-ballistic missiles,” he noted.
Independence in reconnaissance and communication
Currently, for early warning of ballistic launches, Ukraine relies on rented satellites or data from partners, which carries certain risks.
In the past, as Venislavsky reminded, there have been instances when allies paused the transmission of intelligence data, and the operation of the Starlink system was temporarily restricted, disrupting military coordination.
“Having its own telecommunications satellites will ensure fully secure communication for both state leadership and military command,” he said.
Ukraine plans to create its own space forces (Infographic RBK-Ukraine)
Plans for the creation of space forces
The discussion about the establishment of space forces in Ukraine began last year. Specifically, the government’s program planned for such a branch of the military to be established by the end of 2025. However, this point of the government program has not yet been implemented.
Also last year, the Ministry of Defense created the Space Policy Department. It was supposed to focus on three key areas:
- forming a regulatory framework for the development of the military’s space capabilities,
- searching for and integrating advanced technologies in collaboration with scientists;
- establishing international and commercial partnerships for the supply of necessary data and equipment.
This structure was needed by the Ministry of Defense to become a customer of space technology and software for the needs of the Defense Forces.
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