Russia has issued a warning to the U.S., cautioning that the use of commercial satellite operators like SpaceX for spying purposes could make Washington’s satellites legitimate targets.
What Happened: Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, on Wednesday, warned the U.S. that its efforts to involve the private sector in its military space ambitions could have serious consequences, reported Reuters.
"We are aware of Washington’s efforts to attract the private sector to serve its military space ambitions," Zakharova said, adding that such systems "become a legitimate target for retaliatory measures, including military ones."
These comments come in the wake of a recent revelation that SpaceX, under a classified contract with a U.S. intelligence agency, is constructing a network of hundreds of spy satellites.
Why It Matters: The warning from Russia follows a series of events that have intensified global tensions.
Earlier in March, it was revealed that SpaceX was secretly building a vast spy satellite network for the U.S. government under a classified contract valued at $1.8 billion with the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), a U.S. intelligence agency.
This initiative highlights the growing partnership between SpaceX and national security agencies.
China also condemned the U.S. following the news of SpaceX’s alleged development of spy satellites, claiming a threat to global security.
The Chinese military criticized the U.S. for its “shamelessness and double standards,” suggesting that the project could escalate global tensions.
Meanwhile, Tesla Inc. CEO and SpaceX founder Elon Musk responded to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s nuclear war threat against the U.S. with a simple “Of course” on his social media platform, X, formerly known as Twitter.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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