MOSCOW (March 20): Russia said on Wednesday that it knew about US intelligence efforts to use commercial satellite operators such as SpaceX and cautioned that such moves made their satellites legitimate targets.

Reuters reported this month that SpaceX is building a network of hundreds of spy satellites under a classified contract with a US intelligence agency, demonstrating deepening ties between Elon Musk's space company and national security agencies.

"We are aware of Washington's efforts to attract the private sector to serve its military space ambitions," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters.

Such systems "become a legitimate target for retaliatory measures, including military ones," Zakharova said.