Is Russia developing a space-based nuclear weapon? Why is the US so concerned?

The White House announced on Thursday that Russia is in the process of developing a space-based anti-satellite weapon, which worries the United States. But they said it’s not an immediate danger to people on Earth. This news comes after US lawmakers warned about a serious threat to national security without giving details. Moscow has refuted these claims, labelling them as “malicious” and “unfounded,” and suggesting they are a tactic by the White House to push through a stalled multi-billion-dollar Ukrainian war aid package in Congress. Thought the exact nature of the weapon — and whether it actually exists — is unclear, the potential threat it poses to satellites could have a variety of disruptive consequences, including compromising communication systems, surveillance capabilities, intelligence gathering, and command and control operations worldwide, including those in the nuclear domain. It is unclear why Russia would need to use nuclear weapons to destroy a satellite. The New York Times said the United States does not have the ability to counter such a weapon. Following is what is known and not known. What does the US say and should we be worried? The United States has told Congress and allies in Europe about new intelligence related to Russian nuclear capabilities that could pose an international threat, a source briefed on the matter told Reuters on Wednesday. During a White House briefing, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby confirmed that the threat is linked to Russia’s development of anti-satellite capability. He clarified that, while this capability is concerning, it has not yet been deployed, and thus poses no immediate safety risk to anyone, reports AFP. Kirby confirmed that the Russian weapon was “space-based” but declined to comment on reports in US media that it was nuclear-capable or nuclear-powered. The weapon could endanger astronauts in low orbit while also disrupting critical military and civilian satellites, he said, reports AFP. However, he stated that it would violate the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, to which both Russia and the United States are parties, and which prohibits the deployment of nuclear weapons in space. [caption id=“attachment_13734452” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] White House national security communications adviser John Kirby answers a question during a press briefing at the White House in Washington. Reuters[/caption] US president Joe Biden had been kept informed and had directed officials to contact Moscow about the weapon, though it had not yet responded. Citing a current and a former US official, the New York Times reported earlier that the new intelligence was related to Russia’s attempts to develop a space-based anti-satellite nuclear weapon. ABC News also reported that the intelligence had to do with such a capability. Current and former officials said the nuclear weapon was not in orbit. How did it come to light? The intelligence came to light after Representative Mike Turner, Republican chair of the US House of Representatives intelligence committee, issued an unusual and cryptic statement on Wednesday warning of a “serious national security threat”. White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan held a closed-door meeting with congressional leaders on Thursday to brief them on the latest developments. The early disclosure by lawmakers, however, irritated the White House, with Kirby stating that they were investigating whether US intelligence sources and methods had been compromised. Are there nukes in space? Russia and the United States are by far the biggest nuclear powers: together their arsenals hold about 90 per cent of the world’s nuclear weapons, and both have advanced military satellites orbiting the Earth. In the early years of the Cold War, after Russia leaped ahead in the space race and both sides developed intercontinental ballistic missiles, the West proposed a treaty to outlaw nuclear weapons in space. [caption id=“attachment_13734462” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby stated that these developments would violate the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, to which both Russia and the United States are parties, and which prohibits the deployment of nuclear weapons in space. Image used for representational purpose/Pixabay[/caption] The eventual result was the 1967 Outer Space Treaty which bans putting any weapons of mass destruction into orbit or outer space. The United States casts Russia and China as its biggest nation-state competitors and says both are developing a range of new weapons systems, including nuclear, cyber and space capabilities. Russia says the post-Cold War dominance of the United States is crumbling and that Washington has for years sown chaos across the planet while ignoring the interests of other powers. Moscow says the United States too is developing a host of new weapons. What did Russia say? Russia has neither confirmed nor denied the existence of such a weapon but it has dismissed the US warning as a “malicious fabrication” and a trick by the White House aimed at getting US lawmakers to approve more Ukraine aid to counter Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he would not comment on the substance of the reports until the details were unveiled by the White House. But he said Washington’s warning was clearly an attempt to get Congress to approve more money. “It is obvious that the White House is trying, by hook or by crook, to encourage Congress to vote on a bill to allocate money, this is obvious,” Peskov said. “We’ll see what tricks the White House will use.” Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, Moscow’s point man on arms control, accused the United States of “malicious fabrication”, the TASS news agency reported. With inputs from Reuters and AFP