The US possesses knowledge of Russian nuclear capabilities in space that might damage satellites, according to a New York Times story. The intelligence has been presented to Congress and important US partners, with some politicians urging President Joe Biden’s administration to declassify the information. According to anonymous sources, Russia’s possible deployment of a nuclear anti-satellite missile in space may disable US military communications and reconnaissance capabilities from above. The threat becomes even more serious because Washington lacks the ability to neutralize such a weapon and secure its satellites, according to the assessment. The United States experimented with the technology but never fully deployed it, whereas Russia has been developing its space-based capabilities for decades.
Russia withdrew from the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty last year
If Russia does deploy the weapon, it may indicate that President Vladimir Putin is willing to abandon the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, which prohibits any orbital nuclear weapons. Notably, Russia withdrew from the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), a global agreement that prohibits all physical testing of nuclear warheads, last year. Shortly after the withdrawal, Moscow held drills to test its capacity to launch a nuclear weapon in “response to an enemy strike”.
After the intel was shared, head of the House Intelligence Committee, Mike Turner urged President Biden to come public with the information. “The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence has made available to all Members of Congress information concerning a serious national security threat,” said Turner. “I am requesting that President Biden declassify all information relating to this threat so that Congress, the Administration, and our allies can openly discuss the actions necessary to respond to this threat,” he added.
Turner’s committee voted to make the information public to all members of Congress, which may have concerned some authorities. The House material Committee said the material was concerning a “destabilising foreign military capability” in a letter handed to members. Despite the uncertainty, House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson stated there was no need to fear over the unnamed threat. The Republican leader stated that he was not permitted to address the findings, but he wanted to assure everyone that “steady hands” were behind the wheel.