US Raises Alarm Over Russia's Potential Deployment Of Nuclear Devices In Space

The U.S. alerted its international partners about the potential for Russia to position a nuclear device or a simulated warhead in space as early as 2024.

According to insiders who spoke to Bloomberg, Russia is in the process of crafting a space-based system designed to disable satellites through nuclear means, a move that would breach the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, an agreement Russia has previously committed to.

In response to these allegations, the White House opted not to comment.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a televised discussion with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, stated, "We have always been categorically against and are now against the deployment of nuclear weapons in space. We are doing in space only what other countries have, including the United States."

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The purported plans by the Kremlin highlight the intensifying rivalry in space warfare capabilities among major global powers, notably the U.S., Russia and China. This new era of competition marks a departure from the Cold War era's focus on diplomatic negotiations to prevent the militarization of space.

Current evaluations suggested that Russia has no immediate plans to activate any space-based weapons, Bloomberg reported. The risk of accidental detonation looms, which could jeopardize a significant portion of the Earth's satellite network and disrupt global communication systems, experts warned.

The potential impact of such an explosion in space would vary based on the warhead's size and could lead to widespread disruptions rather than outright destruction of satellites, necessitating extensive error correction measures, a space weapons expert told Bloomberg.

As of the last count in April by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, the Earth's orbit is home to nearly 7,800 operational satellites.

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