MOSCOW, March 20 (Reuters) - Russia said on Wednesday

that it knew about U.S. 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 U.S. 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.