German official warns of catastrophic aftermath if Russia detonates nuclear weapon in orbit

During a speech at an event associated with the Security Conference in Munich, Traut expressed alarm in response to reports about Russia's potential development of anti-satellite nuclear weapons, stating there are "more questions than answers".

This warning encompasses a scenario involving a massive nuclear explosion in space, capable of generating an electromagnetic pulse with enough power to destroy satellites in low Earth orbit. The aftermath of such an event would be disastrous.

"If someone dares to detonate a nuclear weapon in the upper layers of the atmosphere or even in space, it would signify the end of the utility of global objects," said Traut.

The aftermath of such an attack could result in thousands of orbiting satellites being transformed into debris, creating dense fields of fragments simultaneously.

"No satellite would survive such an outrage, be it Chinese, Russian, American or European," stated Traut. "If someone rationalises the situation, no one would deploy such a weapon in space," he added.

Should Russia launch an attack in space resulting in the destruction of commercial satellites, the economic impact could amount to trillions of dollars in the banking and energy sectors, cautioned Ludwig Möller, director of the European Institute of Space Policy.