Ukraine has carried out space rocket launches using an aerial launch platform with the aim of, in the future, be able to defend oneself from the air against Russian hypersonic missiles such as the .
The move has been confirmed by Fedir VenislavskyiChairman of the Subcommittee on State Security, Defense and Defense Innovations of the Verkhovna Rada (the Parliament of Ukraine).
In an interview in the Ukrainian media Venislavskyi has stated that “during the war, Ukraine launched a rocket launcher from a transport plane at an altitude of about 8,000 meterswhich in theory could also be used to launch various types of spacecraft into orbit.”
Regarding the moment in which these launches took place, the member of the Verkhovna Rada has only indicated that They were carried out when Kyrylo Budanov was the head of the Ukrainian intelligence services (GUR).
It should be remembered that Budanov, at the beginning of January 2026, He left the leadership of the GUR after being appointed by Zelensky as . Budanov became the Ukrainian president’s ‘right-hand man’ as a result of the dismissal of Andriy Yermak, who was allegedly involved in an energy corruption scandal.
The Ukrainian intention is to establish a network of between seven and ten satellites in space
In relation to the aforementioned space launches, the chairman of the Verkhovna Rada subcommittee on state security, defense and defense innovations has indicated that Ukraine’s intention is to be able soon establish an initial network of between seven and ten satellites in space for surveillance and communications.
“We have created an aerial system that can become an air spaceport in the short term. It can be used for peaceful purposes, as well as for contrarrestar a ‘Oreshnik’. That is to say, launch missiles not from the ground but from the air”Venislavskyi has detailed.
