Chinese Satellites Discovered Over Lviv During Russian Missile Strike
On October 5, 2025, during a significant Russian missile strike on the Lviv region, at least three Chinese reconnaissance SAR satellites were detected overhead, reports 24brussels.
Monitoring service Heavens Above tracked the passage of Yaogan 33 series satellites, including Yaogan 33, Yaogan 33-03, and Yaogan 33-04, which flew over Lviv nine times between midnight and approximately 11:30 AM. Subsequently, an optical reconnaissance satellite, Yaogan 34, entered the region and was scheduled to complete seven orbits on October 5.
Overall, orbital parameters indicate that over 60 different types of Yaogan satellites are capable of conducting operations above Ukraine.
Information regarding the capabilities of the Yaogan 33 satellites is limited. Official Chinese sources claim these satellites are intended for scientific purposes and natural disaster prevention. However, they are widely perceived as military reconnaissance satellites equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR). These satellites operate in low Earth orbit, approximately 700 kilometers above the surface, allowing them to complete an orbit roughly every 90 minutes.
In a related context, Oleg Alexandrov, an employee of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, recently revealed that China is providing Russia with satellite data used for targeting Ukrainian positions. He noted a close collaboration between the two nations regarding reconnaissance aimed at identifying strategic targets for attacks, potentially including those owned by foreign investors. However, Alexandrov did not disclose specifics about which targets had been successfully struck by Russian forces due to Chinese satellite intelligence.
