Ongoing satellite interference is straining diplomatic relations
In the media image: Kevin Stadnyk on Unsplash
Diplomatic relations between European countries and Russia are on edge due to ongoing satellite disruptions. Tanja Masson-Zwaan, assistant professor, spoke to Dutch public broadcaster NOS: ‘It’s difficult to prevent this happening.’
Earlier this month, the GPS signal of the plane carrying Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, was disrupted above Bulgaria. Russia was soon accused of being the likely culprit, though not all experts agree on this. What is clear, however, is that diplomatic tensions on this subject are increasing. Last March, eight European countries, including the Netherlands, filed a complaint with the UN's International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Masson-Zwaan says these disruptions are clearly forbidden: ‘The Outer Space Treaty states that countries may not disrupt each other’s space activities. If they do so, they must consult with each other.’ Russia disputes this. It claims the satellites are being used by the Ukrainian army in warfare. That makes them a legitimate military target that can be destroyed. ‘None of this is in line with the principles of space law’, Masson-Zwaan argues. ‘It’s difficult to prevent this happening. The ITU doesn’t really have the teeth to do much about it. We also need to make our satellites more resilient against these kinds of attacks.’
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Read the full NOS article (in Dutch)