Two Russian satellites are shadowing German satellites, the German defense minister announced on Thursday.

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said in a speech at the German industry’s third Space Congress that two Russian Lunch-Olymp reconnaissance satellites have been tracking two Bundeswehr Intelsat satellites.

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He also announced a new roughly $40 billion investment in the country’s space-related defense projects, which will go toward a comprehensive military space security architecture. 

“Satellite networks today are an Achilles heel of modern societies. Whoever attacks them paralyzes entire nations,” Pistorius said, noting that a Russian cyberattack on the ViaSat satellite network impacted the operation control of the roughly 6,000 wind turbines in Germany.

“Russia’s behavior, especially in space, poses a fundamental threat to us all. It is a threat that we can no longer ignore,” Pistorius said, adding that they needed offensive space capabilities to establish deterrence.

His comments come amid a series of recent Russian aerial incursions into other European countries. Within this month alone, three Russian fighter jets entered Estonian airspace, Romania had to scramble two F-16 fighter jets to intercept a Russian drone that briefly entered its airspace, and Poland tracked several Russian drones entering their airspace.

There have also been drone sightings in Denmark that have shut down airports in the country this week. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has already said she can “not rule out” Russia was responsible, but at the same time has not directly accused them of being behind it. Russia has denied involvement.

Norwegian officials also said on Thursday they had seized a drone near Oslo’s airport.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) also detected and tracked two Russian Tu-95s and two Su-35s operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Wednesday, though these incidents are not uncommon.

U.S. officials have said the administration stands by their NATO counterparts and have criticized Moscow’s known incursions into those countries.

Also this week, President Donald Trump said he believed that Ukraine could, in fact, recapture the territory Russian forces currently occupy with Europe’s assistance. Despite his positive change in sentiment about the potential outcome, he also seemingly distanced the U.S. from that effort.

“I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form. With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, the original Borders from where this War started, is very much an option,” he said on Truth Social. “In any event, I wish both Countries well. We will continue to supply weapons to NATO for NATO to do what they want with them. Good luck to all!”

Responding to Trump’s remarks, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk argued, “Behind this surprising optimism lies a promise of reduced U.S. involvement and a shift of responsibility for ending the war to Europe. Better truth than illusions.”

EASTERN EUROPEAN LEADERS WARN OF CONTINUED RUSSIAN AGGRESSION

Trump has said this month that he was ready to significantly increase sanctions and tariffs on Russia but only if European countries agreed to stop purchasing Russian oil and hit both China and India with tariffs, though Hungary and Slovakia continue to import Russian oil.