Russian official claims 'enemy' spy satellite network discovered

MOSCOW, April 12 (UPI) -- A Russian official claimed the country detected a network of "enemy" spy satellites disguised as space junk during a film televised Sunday.

Russian Aerospace Defense Commander Maj. Gen. Oleg Maidanovich made the remarks during the 40-minute, state-produced film Space Special Forces shown on the defense ministry channel Zvezda.

"Very recently, specialists of the department of space intelligence center uncovered a newly created group of space satellites... made for radio-technical reconnaissance of equipment on Russian territory," Maidanovich said. He declined to say who the satellites belonged to, stating "there is currently no necessity to do so."

The film was released to commemorate the space flight of cosmonaut Yury Gagarin on April 12, 1961.

Although tensions between Russia and the West have been escalating recently, outer space cooperation, including for the International Space Station, has continued.

The film's narrator described the spy satellites as being turned off for a certain time and then awaking when needed.

"One talks of peaceful satellites, but there are known cases when groups of potential enemy satellites formed against our satellites, above our territory... There are cases when a space satellite pretends to be space junk for years and then wakes up and starts working at the right moment."

Maidanovich said that when spy satellites are discovered, his division reports it to Russian leadership for decisions to be made at international levels.