--- title: "Hackers Claim They’ve Seized Control of Russian Spy Satellites" description: "Dmitry Rogozin, Russia's outspoken head of its space agency, denied recent reports that hackers had seized control of the nation's spy satellites." date: "2022-03-02" modified: "2022-03-02" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/hackers-russian-satellites" categories: - "Off-World" - "Space" tags: - "Roscosmos" - "Russia" - "satellites" - "the digest" --- # Hackers Claim They’ve Seized Control of Russian Spy Satellites ![Dmitry Rogozin, Russia's outspoken head of its space agency, denied recent reports that hackers had seized control of the nation's spy satellites.]() *\Image: Getty Images/Futurism\* ## Satellite Location Dmitry Rogozin, Russia's outspoken head of its space agency, denied recent reports that hackers had already seized control of the nation's satellites. A group affiliated with the hacker group Anonymous [tweeted]() on Tuesday that it had "shut down the control center" of Roscomos, which meant the country had "no more control over their own spy satellites." According to Rogozin, though, that's total nonsense. "The information of these scammers and petty swindlers is not true," he said, as [quoted by Russian news service *Interfax*](). "All our space activity control centers are operating normally." ## Proxy War But as he [is wont to do](), Rogozin took the opportunity to threaten Russia's adversaries. "Offlining the satellites of any country is actually a casus belli, a cause for war," he added, [according to *Reuters*](). The alleged hack comes as chaos grips Ukraine, with Russian forces are [leaving cities in ruins]() using powerful explosives. That kind of aggression isn't sitting well with the international space community. Both NASA and the European Space Agency [have actively distanced themselves]() from Russia's space efforts, and Rogozin in particular has a way of painting a target on his own back. Adding to the drama, Rogozin waded into the controversy around satellite company OneWeb, which is still planning to [launch 36 of its satellites](), part of a greater effort to build out a satellite-based internet network, from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, which is run by Roscosmos. But Rogozin says he wants a guarantee that the satellites won't be used against Russia, and says he's ready to pull the plug on the mission if OneWeb fails to provide that guarantee. **READ MORE:** [Russia space agency head says satellite hacking would justify war -report]() \[*Reuters*\] **More on Russia:** *[Russia Says It'll Buy Space Parts From China, But China Says Uhhh Not So Fast]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()