Islam Times - West ‘moving towards war’ in space – Roscosmos chief

Islam Times - Western astronautics is “heading for war,” the director of Russian Space Agency Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin said on Saturday, claiming that alleged collection of data for Ukraine by private Western companies proves this thesis.

In an interview with Rossiya 24 news channel, Rogozin claimed that American private companies like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, SpaceX and others are now tasked with “one specific goal: to ensure collection of information in real time, both visual – through infrared radar devices – and through conventional surveillance.” This data, according to Rogozin, is being collected so the Ukrainian forces could use it “for ballistic missile guidance or multiple launch rocket system operation.”

The same applies to the satellite communication companies, such as Starlink, the head of Roscosmos emphasized.

Responding to the question of whether Russian satellites are able to monitor Ukrainian territory, Rogozin said: “Of course.”

Earlier this month he claimed that American private space companies are “at best, trusted contractors of the Pentagon, at worst, agents of the Pentagon or the CIA under the guise of ‘private independent companies.’”

Rogozin’s remarks came soon after the head of US Cyber Command General Paul Nakasone admitted for the first time that the US was supporting Ukraine by conducting offensive hacking operations.

“We've conducted a series of operations across the full spectrum; offensive, defensive, [and] information operations,” he told Sky News.

Nakasone did not provide any details of these operations, but stressed that they were completely lawful.