On November 9, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine supported in the first reading bill No. 13255 on the creation of Space Forces as part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This was reported by the parliament's press service, referenced by RBC-Ukraine, UNN, and other outlets. 252 people's deputies voted for the document. The initiative aims to develop space technologies and strengthen the country's defense capabilities, as well as to form a new branch of the military that will operate on par with the Ground Forces, Air Force, and Naval Forces.
Structure of the New Branch of Military and Voting
Bill No. 13255 amends the law «On the Armed Forces of Ukraine» and clarifies the structure of the Armed Forces. According to the document, the Space Forces receive the status of a separate branch of the armed forces, comparable in organizational level to existing military branches. This implies the creation of appropriate organizational, legal, institutional, and military-technical capabilities. The vote on the document in the first reading took place at a plenary session on November 9, and the majority of deputies supported the initiative, paving the way for further review of the text in the second reading and the adoption of the law.
Justification: New Security Challenges
In the explanatory note, the authors of the document justify the need to create Space Forces by new security challenges. In particular, Russia's use of the «Oreshnik» missile to strike Ukrainian territory through international outer space is mentioned. The authors point out that leading world states, including the USA, Britain, France, China, India, Iran, and Russia, already have their own space forces. Against this background, the formation of a similar component in the Armed Forces of Ukraine is viewed as a step toward parity of capabilities in the field of space security.
Tasks of the Space Forces
According to the text and explanations of the bill, the key tasks of the new branch of the military will be the development of own satellites and means for launching them into orbit, the creation of an early warning system for enemy missile launches, the development of means to counter missile and space strikes, and the formation of secure satellite communications for the security and defense sector. It is also planned to strengthen intelligence capabilities by expanding the country's own military satellite constellation, which should ensure independent detection of missile launches from enemy territory and deterrence of potential threats from space.
Ukraine's Potential and International Context
The authors of the document note that Ukraine possesses the necessary scientific, engineering, production, and infrastructure potential to create its own satellites and control systems. In their estimation, this will allow the country to independently develop spacecraft and launch vehicles rather than relying exclusively on imported solutions. In a broader context, the initiative fits into the global trend toward the militarization of outer space and the creation of national space forces, making control over orbital resources one of the elements of national defense.
Thus, the adoption of the bill in the first reading became the first institutional step toward formalizing the space component of Ukrainian defense. The further fate of the document will depend on the revision of the text in the second reading and the position of the relevant parliamentary committees.
