Russia mulling nuclear weapons for space: US intelligence
- US intelligence agencies have information about Russian ambitions for nuclear weapons in space
- It sparked an urgent but vague warning from the Republican head of the House Intelligence Committee
US intelligence shows that Russia is discussing the possibility of basing a nuclear weapon in space, according to people familiar with the matter, a finding that emerged after a top House Republican publicly warned of an unspecified national-security threat.
The threat cited by US intelligence is not yet an active one and Russia has not deployed a nuclear weapon into space, according to the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity. While the conclusions are significant and US officials are taking the matter seriously, there’s no immediate cause for public alarm, said the people.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said he would meet Thursday with the US House contingent of the so-called Gang of Eight congressional leaders. The meeting was scheduled before House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner on Wednesday issued a cryptic public statement.
The Ohio Republican called on President Joe Biden to declassify “all information relating to this threat”. Turner did not offer further details about the nature of the threat.
Turner’s decision to go public with the issue, without fully describing it, caused concern in Washington. The episode comes at a time when wars in Ukraine, Israel and Gaza are weighing heavily on the United States.
Several US media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post and broadcasters ABC and Fox News reported earlier that the new intelligence was related to Russia’s attempts to develop a space-based antisatellite nuclear weapon. Current and former officials said the nuclear weapon was not in orbit.
In Moscow, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described the claims about a new Russian military capability as a ruse intended to make the US Congress support aid for Ukraine.