What if the Russian invasion of Ukraine started in space first? Political guest of Jean-Pierre Elkabbach, General Michel Friedling, head of the Space Command which decides on France’s space strategy, describes a forgotten dimension of the war between Russia and Ukraine: space. Thus, contrary to what we think, the conflict began in space and well before February 24, the date of the start of land military operations by the Russian army in Ukraine. Indeed, “on November 15, 2021, Russia fired an anti-satellite missile”, reports the General.
According to the expert, “this shot was a very strong strategic message sent by Russia to the international community which is to say: ‘we have capabilities to destroy your satellites and their space capabilities'”, he analyzes for Europe 1. “It also meant, ‘we are ready to use such capabilities when the time comes to restore some form of balance between the advantage you have in space, you Western nations, and us, Russia'” , continues Michel Friedling.
A Russian cyberattack on Ukraine on the night of February 23-24
According to the General, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine demonstrates that “military operations extend to all environments and in all fields, both in land, air and naval environments, which we traditionally known. But they undoubtedly begin, even before operations in other environments, with operations in cyber and space”, he explains.
For him, the beginning of the war in Ukraine responds to this pattern: “In Ukraine, on the night of February 23 to 24, there was a massive cyber attack against a network, which was used by Ukrainian government authorities and by the Ukrainian military on their territory. This attack worked since there are thousands of terminals that have been neutralized in the area of Ukraine”.