Russia's potential 'space nuclear weapon' poses serious threat to US national security
18 February 2024 17:17
'Russia is said to be developing a space nuclear weapon that can eliminate satellites with a powerful energy wave', CNN reports, citing sources privy to the intelligence.
The potential obliteration of satellites would have far-reaching consequences for many aspects of daily life, from communication and transport to banking. It could also lead to the destruction of military communication systems.
The controversial 'serious threat to fresh national security' discussion was ignited on Wednesday following a public statement by Mike Turner from Ohio, the Chair of the House Intelligence Committee. However, the Republican politician did not provide specific details, instead publicly urging the White House to reveal more on the issue.
The Biden administration officials publicly stressed that the weapon is still not operational and has not yet been launched into orbit. However, the officials suggest using it could lead to a 'point of no return', CNN reports.
The detonation of this weapon would produce a powerful electromagnetic energy pulse and a surge of charged particles, which would scatter throughout space, disrupting the functioning of other satellites in Earth's orbit.
US concern escalates as China and India get involved
President Joe Biden also publicly expressed his concerns on Friday, stating unequivocally that 'there is no nuclear threat to America or any other place in the world concerning what Russia is currently doing'.
The US president stated, 'What they are doing, or might do, pertains to satellites and outer space and could potentially damage these satellites'.
As reported by 'The New York Times', Russian weaponry was a major talking point for Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, at the Munich Security Conference. Here, he met with Wang Yi, the Chinese Foreign Minister and the Indian Minister of External Affairs, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
While the paper doesn't detail what information was shared, it hints that Blinken tried to persuade his associates to convince Russia to make concessions.
