Why Ukraine is considering space forces and how Russian Oreshnik factors in
Fedir Venislavskyi, Chairperson of the Subcommittee on State Security, Defense, and Defense Innovation of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence (Photo: Vitalii Nosach / RBC-Ukraine)
Ukraine wants to create its own space forces. This is partly linked to countering Russia's Oreshnik missiles, as explained in an interview with RBC-Ukraine by Member of Parliament Fedir Venislavskyi, who heads the Subcommittee on State Security of the Verkhovna Rada Defense Committee.
Legal dimension and countering Oreshnik
The trajectory of the Oreshnik missile passes at an altitude of over 100 km, meaning it is in outer space and is not limited by state borders. Meanwhile, Ukraine's ground-based air defense operates at altitudes of up to 30–40 kilometers.
"Therefore, the need to create the Space Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is aimed, among other things, at the legal formalization of the AFU's activities in a new military domain—space," the MP explained in the interview.
To effectively destroy such targets, interception must occur before the warheads separate in space. According to him, it is much easier to shoot down a single carrier rocket at an altitude of over 100 km than to try to destroy six hypersonic maneuvering warheads during their descent. For now, however, the focus is on early warning.
"First and foremost, it is about early detection of launches and warning the population about the threat of missile attacks by the enemy using ballistic, including aeroballistic, missiles," he said.
Independence in intelligence and communications
Currently, Ukraine relies on leased satellites or data from partners for early warning of ballistic missile launches, which carries certain risks.
In the past, Venislavskyi recalled, there were cases when allies paused intelligence sharing, and the operation of the Starlink system was temporarily restricted, disrupting military coordination.
"Having our own telecommunications satellites will ensure fully secure communication for both the country’s leadership and the military command," he added.
Plans to create space forces
Talks about creating space forces in Ukraine began last year. In particular, the government program envisaged that this branch of the military would be established by the end of 2025. However, this part of the program has not yet been implemented.
Last year, the Ministry of Defense also established the Space Policy Directorate. It was tasked with focusing on three key areas:
- developing a regulatory and legal framework for advancing the military’s space capabilities;
- identifying and integrating advanced technologies in cooperation with scientists;
- building international and commercial partnerships to supply the necessary data and equipment.
This structure was needed for the Ministry of Defense to act as a customer for space technology and software for the needs of the Defense Forces.
