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The US, Germany, and other NATO allies are preparing to send tanks to Ukraine for its ongoing war with Russia. Armaments are the blunt weapon the West is using to aid Ukraine. The US is leading a separate effort to put the squeeze on Vladimir Putin. Just last week sanctions were expanded. The target is the Wagner Group. It’s been described as a private army run by Putin’s former chef.
The US Treasury Department designated the Wagner Group as a Transnational Criminal Organization, “sanctioning eight individuals and 16 entities.” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen proclaimed, “Today’s expanded sanctions on Wagner, as well as new sanctions on their associates and other companies enabling the Russian military complex, will further impede Putin’s ability to arm and equip his war machine.”
GLOBAL NETWORK
The US says, “Putin has resorted to relying on the Wagner Group to continue his war of choice.” Yellen said, “the Kremlin is desperately searching for arms and support – including through the brutal Wagner Group – to continue its unjust war against Ukraine.”
The Treasury Department says it is going after the Wagner Group’s global network that it says includes a commercial satellite company.
SPACETY
It’s a Chinese company that is building a constellation of Earth observation satellites. The allegation is that Spacety, based in Beijing, provided images of Ukraine to a Russian Company called Terra Tech. Terra Tech allegedly provided the imagery to the Wagner Group. “These images were gathered in order to enable Wagner combat operations in Ukraine,” the Treasury Department says.
3D IMAGES
Spacety builds cubesats that provide synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. These aren’t photographs. They are two-dimensional or three-dimensional images of Earth created by the radars on the satellites. The images can show mountains and skyscrapers. On its website last year, Spacety posted several images it has created from its satellites.
Terra Tech, the Russian company, was created by Roscosmos, the Russian Government’s space agency. It uses Russian government satellites to photograph Earth from space. It’s website includes an image of Boston.
According to its website, the company doesn’t appear to have the ability to create SAR images. Terra Tech readily admits it works, “in close cooperation with Roscosmos.” It says its imagery, “is largely used for monitoring of environment, disaster, agriculture and forestry.”
DENIAL
Spacety, officially known as, Changsha Tianyi Space Science and Technology Research Institute Co. LTD, appears to have shut down its website. It’s been replaced by a statement denying the US accusations. Spacety says it never had a, “commercial relationship,” with Terra Tech. “We have stopped all the commercial relationships or business with other Russian entities since the Russo-Ukrainian War started, and we have never and ever participated in any form of military activities in support of the Russo-Ukrainian War and the Wagner Group.”
Earlier versions of Spacety’s website says it was formed in 2016 by CEO Justin Feng and CTO Ren Weijia saying, “Our SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) constellation will monitor and observe the Earth day and night, and rain or shine.”
In its statement, Spacety claims it provides imagery for disaster relief and is a pioneer in the, “global commercialization,” of space and SAR technology. While claiming its innocence, Spacety says it is working, “to resolve possible differences and misunderstandings.”
GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT?
The Treasury Department did not provide any additional details about how it believes the Spacety imagery was shared with Terra Tech and then given to the Wagner Group.
I asked Spacety, which has a Luxembourg office, why it shutdown its website and whether it could provide additional details. The Chinese company did not respond.
The company said in its statement that its mission is, “Making Space Accessible.” That, according to the US Government, is why Spacety has been sanctioned. It’s a case that highlights that space technology does not just belong to governments anymore.