High above the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, in the sky between Sri Lanka and the Indonesian island of Sumatra, something strange is happening. At an altitude of roughly 35,800 kilometers, "Intelsat 17" orbits the Earth – an international communications satellite and a vital node for information. Its radio signals reach large parts of Europe and Africa, the Middle East and vast areas of Asia.

The German military also uses this airborne communications hub, which allows command staff and soldiers deployed abroad to communicate across continents. The information they share is classified, strictly confidential. But now, in late August 2025, a Russian satellite is approaching the "Intelsat 17.” Indeed, the "Luch Olymp K1" – a name that roughly translates as "beam" – is only a few kilometers away from "Intelsat 17." In space, that is extremely close.

DER SPIEGEL relies on support from its readers. To enjoy the rest of this story, please consider signing up for a subscription to The German View, our English-language channel on Substack. The article can be found here  and our Substack channel can be found here . Alternatively, you can sign up for a SPIEGEL+ subscription below.

Russian satellites have come threateningly close to Western satellites on multiple occasions before. Felix Huber, a professor of space operations at the University of the Bundeswehr Munich and an institute director at the German Aerospace Center, classifies Russia's behavior as "almost an act of war."

Satellites like "Luch Olymp K1" pose a twofold danger: They carry sensors on board that can search for and analyze communications signals. And they could also collide with satellites like "Intelsat 17" and destroy them.