
Kremlin-backed hackers hijacked a satellite on Victory Day 2025 to force Ukrainian civilians to watch Russia’s military parade, exposing America’s own critical infrastructure to unprecedented space-based warfare threats.
Story Snapshot
- Russian hackers seized control of satellite broadcasts to Ukraine, replacing regular programming with Moscow’s military parade
- Malware infected tens of thousands of modems across Ukraine and Europe, disrupting civilian communications
- Attack demonstrates Russia’s ability to weaponize space assets against Western infrastructure
- Incident exposes vulnerabilities in satellite systems that America relies on for defense and communications
Russia’s Bold Psychological Warfare Campaign
On May 9, 2025, Kremlin-aligned hackers executed a brazen cyber operation, hijacking satellite television services across Ukraine during Russia’s Victory Day parade. Ukrainian civilians found their regular programming replaced with live footage of Russian tanks, soldiers, and military hardware parading through Moscow’s Red Square. This calculated psychological warfare tactic aimed to demoralize Ukrainian resistance while showcasing Russia’s technological capabilities to disrupt Western-aligned infrastructure.
Massive Infrastructure Attack Spreads Across Europe
The satellite hijacking triggered widespread communications disruptions extending far beyond Ukraine’s borders. Malware deployed during the attack infected tens of thousands of satellite modems throughout Ukraine and parts of Europe, causing significant service outages. The coordinated nature of this assault mirrors the February 2022 Viasat hack that disabled thousands of modems across Europe at the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, demonstrating Moscow’s systematic targeting of satellite infrastructure.
Critical Threat to American Space Assets
This attack exposes alarming vulnerabilities in satellite systems that America depends on for national security, communications, and economic operations. Tom Pace, CEO of NetRise, warns that disrupting satellite communications can cause significant disruptions to critical infrastructure. The incident serves as a wake-up call for American conservatives concerned about protecting our technological sovereignty and defense capabilities from foreign adversaries who increasingly view space as a battlefield.
Escalating Space Warfare Threatens National Security
Russia’s satellite hijacking represents a dangerous escalation in hybrid warfare tactics that directly threaten American interests and constitutional freedoms. The attack demonstrates how adversaries can weaponize space-based assets to conduct information warfare, disrupt communications, and undermine civilian infrastructure. Western cybersecurity experts and defense officials are calling for enhanced protection of space assets, recognizing that America’s satellites are now prime targets for hostile nations seeking to project power and intimidate Western allies.
Hijacked satellites and orbiting space weapons: In 21st century, space is new battlefield https://t.co/XSIv6A2Tuy
— The Rising Nepal Online (@RisingNepal4) August 18, 2025
As investigations continue into this brazen attack, the incident underscores the urgent need for stronger satellite security measures and international cooperation to counter Russia’s aggressive space-based operations. The weaponization of outer space poses a direct threat to American technological superiority and our ability to maintain secure communications networks essential for national defense.
Sources:
Hijacked satellites and orbiting space weapons – ABC News
How space is becoming the new battlefield between world powers – Euronews
Satellite hack on eve of Ukraine war was a coordinated, multi – CyberScoop