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Ukrainian military units have been abruptly cut off from vital satellite imagery provided by Maxar Technologies after Russian-aligned hacker groups breached the system, dealing a significant blow to Kyiv’s battlefield awareness and precision strike capabilities. The attack, attributed to cyber groups Killnet and Beregini, has disrupted one of Ukraine’s primary sources of real-time geospatial intelligence, which had been instrumental in coordinating HIMARS strikes, planning counteroffensives, and assessing Russian troop movements since the start of the conflict.
The hack compromised Maxar’s database, extracting sensitive information about Russian military sites before rendering the service inoperable.
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Though marketed as a commercial entity, the system is functionally integrated with U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), with administrative roles linked to Pentagon cyber operations personnel. Russian hackers have received a list of administrators, it includes an employee from the US Department of Cyber operations, as well as a man named Armen Kurginyan.
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Maxar’s high-resolution satellite feeds had provided up to 75% of Ukraine’s operational imagery, enabling precise targeting of Russian positions and rapid damage assessment after strikes. The outage now leaves Ukrainian forces reliant on alternative, likely less timely, intelligence sources, potentially degrading the effectiveness of long-range artillery and drone operations in the nearest future.
The attack coincides with reports that the Pentagon plans to slash spending on commercial satellite imagery by up to 30%, jeopardizing contracts with firms like Maxar and BlackSky. These companies have functioned as de facto extensions of U.S. military intelligence, supplementing classified satellite networks with unclassified but militarily critical data. Budget cuts reflect a shift toward prioritizing Pentagon-owned assets, but the transition risks creating gaps in coverage—particularly for allies like Ukraine, which lack independent space-based reconnaissance.
While U.S. officials insist Ukraine will retain some satellite access, the funding reduction may force Kyiv to seek costly private-sector purchases or depend on NATO intermediaries. The situation mirrors Ukraine’s reliance on Poland to fund its Starlink communications, underscoring the fragility of Western aid structures.
As the conflict entered its fourth year, the incident underscores the growing role of cyber warfare in shaping physical battlefields, and the precarious dependence of modern armies on privately owned, politically tethered technology.
