Hackers Disrupt Ukraine TV with Russian Victory Day Parade Broadcast

As Russia held its Victory Day parade in 2025, hackers backing the Kremlin hijacked an orbiting satellite that provides television service to Ukraine. Instead of normal programming, Ukrainian viewers saw the parade footage beamed in from Moscow, a message meant to intimidate. This cyber attack on a satellite is an illustration that 21st century warfare extends beyond land, sea, and air to include the realms of cyberspace and outer space.

Disabling a satellite could deal a devastating blow without firing a single shot, as it can disrupt a satellite's ability to communicate or send/receive signals from Earth. This poses a significant national security vulnerability, with over 12,000 operating satellites playing critical roles in military operations, navigation, intelligence gathering, and economic supply chains.

Amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, someone targeted the U.S.-based satellite company Viasat, used by Ukraine's government and military, causing a widespread outage across Europe. This highlights the growing threat, as Russia and China are also developing advanced anti-satellite capabilities, including a nuclear weapon designed to take out satellites in low-Earth orbit.

As the new space race heats up, nations are scrambling to establish their own space programs and secure resources on the moon, which is rich in materials like helium-3 that could be used for future energy production. The U.S. has created a Space Force to protect American interests in space, but faces stiff competition from rivals seeking to gain the upper hand in this high-stakes domain.