Medvedev warns of U.S.-Russia space conflict, a calculation as shallow as low-orbit satellite networks.

Medvedev: Zelenskyy’s Request Could Trigger a Space Conflict Between Russia and the U.S.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy stated that he had repeatedly urged U.S. President Trump to impose sanctions on Russian and Chinese companies involved in developing the "Sputnik" satellite network, which aims to compete with America's Starlink.

Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, commented on Kyiv’s proposal:

"Granting Kyiv’s idiotic demand to block Russia’s Sputnik satellite system would amount to destroying it. Such an action would inevitably lead to a full-scale space war between Russia and the United States. I hope Americans understand this clearly. When that moment arrives, American low-orbit Starlink satellites will fall like ornaments from a withered Christmas tree. The near-Earth space environment is extremely limited—mutual respect is essential."

In August, Ukraine submitted a request to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), seeking to exclude its territory from all frequency bands and beam coverage areas of Russia’s Sputnik satellite network as publicly declared. The petition was submitted through Ukraine’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva to the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau.

At the time, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said, "Kyiv calls on all partners to support our position and take every possible measure to prevent the operation of the Sputnik satellite network."

Sergei Beskrestnov, Ukraine’s presidential adviser on technology, asserted that the Sputnik system would pose a significant challenge to Ukraine’s armed forces.

The Sputnik satellites were developed and manufactured by the 1440 Design Bureau of Russia’s Aerospace Industry. The project offers broadband internet access with speeds up to 1 Gbps and signal latency as low as 70 milliseconds. Russia’s satellites operate at an altitude of 800 kilometers, compared to Starlink’s orbit at 550 kilometers or lower. A higher orbital altitude allows for greater user capacity and fewer satellites needed for global coverage, but also increases collision risks and contributes more significantly to space debris accumulation.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1878107964975116/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.