Nato believes Russia developing new ‘zone-effect’ weapon to hit Musk’s Starlink

WorldTechnology
22 Dec 2025 • 8:05 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • Intelligence from two Nato nations indicates Russia is reportedly developing a new 'zone-effect' anti-satellite weapon.
  • The weapon is designed to target Elon Musk’s Starlink constellation by flooding its orbits with hundreds of thousands of high-density pellets.
  • The alleged objective is to curb Western space superiority, which has played a crucial role in aiding Ukraine on the battlefield.
  • Analysts express scepticism, warning that such a weapon could cause uncontrollable chaos in space, affecting Russia's own systems and other nations.
  • Despite the significant risks of collateral damage and difficulty in attributing an attack, the system is believed to be in active development.

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