TOULOUSE - Russia attempted to intercept transmissions from a Franco-Italian satellite used by both nations' armies for secure communications, French Defence Minister Florence Parly said on Friday, describing the move as an 'act of espionage.' In a speech outlining France's space policy for the coming years, Parly said Russian satellite Louch-Olymp had approached the Athena-Fidus satellite in 2017. Parly said it came so close 'that anyone would have thought it was attempting to intercept our communications.' She added: 'Attempting to listen to your neighbors is not only unfriendly, it's an act of espionage.
