Europe Faces Satellite Espionage Threat from Russia and China

by Sophie Jenkins
London, UK (SPX) Nov 10, 2025

Germany and the United Kingdom have raised alarms regarding the escalating danger posed by Russian and Chinese activity in space, with recent incidents putting focus on the growing threat to Western satellites. Both countries have publicly accused Russia of stalking, jamming, and interfering with their orbital systems, while experts have warned that China's rapid technological advances could wield an equal, if not greater, challenge to European space security.

At a major space industry conference in Berlin in September 2025, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius made headlines when he declared, "Russia's actions, especially in space, pose a fundamental threat to us all - a threat we can no longer ignore." This warning comes against the backdrop of repeated instances where Russian reconnaissance satellites were observed closely shadowing those operated by IntelSat, a prominent provider of satellite services for governments and commercial entities across Europe and the United States.

The targeting of communication satellites carries severe risks for military, government, and civilian infrastructure. Satellite imagery, telecommunications networks, and broadband internet access for essential services rely on secure, uninterrupted satellite links. Disruption of navigation and positioning systems can have downstream consequences, from impeding military operations to affecting civil aviation reliability, as highlighted by global defense think tanks such as RAND.

This wave of warnings arrives amid Russia's ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now into its third year. Ukrainian intelligence has further alleged an intensification of Russian-Chinese collaboration, with Beijing reportedly conducting satellite reconnaissance over Ukrainian territory at Moscow's request. In the new era of hybrid warfare, space assets have become prime targets, not only for interception of communications but also for disruption and physical sabotage.

According to Clayton Swope, director of Aerospace Security at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the basic detection of foreign satellites in orbit is relatively straightforward for modern space forces. Ground-based radar and space surveillance networks can determine positions and orbital paths. Determining intentions and capabilities, however, remains far more elusive.

Authorities and analysts infer the objectives of Russian satellites based on their proximity to Western satellites, their orbital behaviors, and patterns established by previous similar assets. "If a Russian satellite lingers near a European communications satellite for an extended period, authorities may deduce espionage is underway," Swope explains. Analysts suspect that recent close approaches to IntelSat satellites used by Germany were likely efforts to intercept signals or gather technical intelligence.

Technical methods of interference have evolved. Jamming can be conducted via ground-based infrastructure that transmits high-intensity electromagnetic noise, overwhelming or scrambling satellite signals. Russia has developed and refined its electronic warfare capabilities notably during the conflict in Ukraine, a context that sharpens the stakes for European security planners.

Beyond intelligence collection, there is concern about potential physical threats. In lower-earth orbits, Russian satellites have reportedly tested devices "resembling weaponry and fired projectiles," according to experts. Such tests signal a move from passive surveillance to the active disabling - or even destruction - of rival space assets.

"The Russians have a history of having those types of satellites shadow others in a way that might suggest a sleeper cell, waiting to strike at a moment's notice," says Swope. Ambiguity persists: distinguishing between a reconnaissance satellite and a weaponized one is difficult. "Sometimes you really are guessing about the capabilities and the intentions of the operator."

For its part, the Russian space agency has previously downplayed the implications of these weapons tests, characterizing them as standard exercises and denying any intention to escalate space conflict.

Germany and the United Kingdom are only the latest Western countries to sound the alarm. The United States and France have published warnings for over a decade about Russian satellites suspected of spying and gathering intelligence on Western assets, including not just military but commercial satellites.

In 2015, the US Department of Defense reported a Russian military satellite had parked itself near two IntelSat satellites, prompting diplomatic outreach to Moscow regarding the incident, which was described as "mysterious" at the time. After the joint launch of an intelligence satellite by France and Italy in 2017, Russian satellites rapidly approached to observe, further establishing the pattern.

Juliana Suess, a security researcher with the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), contextualizes the issue: "These behaviors are not entirely new, but also must be seen alongside Russia's violations of NATO airspace and broader hybrid warfare tactics." All satellite incidents, she says, should be considered in the context of tensions over Ukraine and broader security dynamics.

While Russian proximate threats tend to dominate headlines in Europe due to geography and immediate military implications, experts consistently point to China as a rapidly ascending space power. China's maneuvers, such as satellites equipped with robotic arms capable of altering the orbits of other satellites, demonstrate advanced capabilities and raise strategic alarm in Western circles.

Chinese satellite activity is frequent and sometimes opaque. "We don't always know what they're doing, and they're doing a lot of different things that leave people scratching their heads," Swope notes. The breadth of Chinese resources exceeds that of Russia, analysts say, especially as Moscow's budget and technical prowess are increasingly stretched by ongoing military commitments.

The alarm raised by Berlin and London underscores steps taken to catch up. Germany has unveiled plans to allocate up to euro 35 billion ($40.2 billion) over the next five years to bolster its satellite operations, develop counter-jamming technology, and invest in both civilian and military space initiatives.

The UK, meanwhile, has committed to increasing its defense spending through a strategic review, focusing on threats to "space, cyber, and electromagnetic domains." Recent British government actions include the testing of new sensors designed to detect laser threats in space, hopeful measures aimed at protecting vital communication links.

Yet, policy experts and watchdogs warn that European efforts may not be adequate in the face of accelerating Russian and Chinese moves. Think tanks such as Chatham House argue that even more substantial, near-term investment is urgent, cautioning that the strategic review may not have fully grasped the scope and imminence of the challenge.

While the US retains a historic advantage in space infrastructure due to a legacy of robust investment and technological edge, European allies - especially within the context of NATO - face the imperative of greater collaboration. NATO made space an "operational domain" in 2019 and expanded Article 5 protections to space, signaling that a deliberate attack on a member's satellite could invoke collective defense.

The nature of satellite espionage, jamming, and potential weaponization is a moving target - one where technical escalation, state secrecy, and geopolitical competition play out in real time. As European governments seek to safeguard their space assets, the race to keep up with or counter adversarial threats shows no sign of slowing.