"US Warns Allies of Possible Russian Space Nuclear Weapon Launch Within This Year"

Western Satellite Interception Threats Spread
Putin "Firmly Opposes Space Nuclear Weapons"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

The U.S. government has reportedly warned its allies about the possibility that Russia may deploy nuclear weapons in orbit around satellites within this year, sparking controversy. If these weapons are used to intercept satellites in an emergency, global communication networks could be disrupted, raising widespread concerns about the Russian threat.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly expressed opposition to space-based nuclear weapons, attempting to dispel fears of a Russian threat. However, as the Ukraine war enters its third year and sanctions and confrontations between Russia and the West continue, satellite safety issues are expected to become a major agenda item for the international community.

"U.S. Notifies Allies of Possible Russian Space Nuclear Weapon Deployment"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

On the 20th (local time), Bloomberg News cited sources reporting that "the U.S. government has informed its allies that Russia could deploy nuclear weapons or mock warheads in space as early as this year."

Earlier, not only U.S. politicians but also President Joe Biden warned about Russia’s development of satellite interception weapons. John Kirby, White House National Security Communications Coordinator, mentioned Russia’s satellite interception weapons under development, and U.S. media outlets have widely reported that Russia is developing nuclear electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapons capable of destroying satellites.

If Russia were to use nuclear weapons deployed in space as satellite interception weapons in an emergency, concerns have been raised not only in the U.S. but also in many other countries about satellite communication networks and nuclear fallout. According to the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), as of April last year, approximately 7,800 satellites were counted in Earth's orbit. If these satellites are destroyed or rendered inoperable by a nuclear explosion, large-scale communication network disruptions could occur.

Bloomberg quoted experts saying, "A nuclear explosion in space could potentially affect about one-third of satellites and cause significant disruption to communication systems on Earth," adding, "Since most commercial satellites are clustered in low Earth orbit below 2,000 km altitude, concerns about fallout after an explosion are also significant."

Putin: "Firmly Opposed to Deploying Nuclear Weapons in Space"

[Image source=TASS Yonhap News]

However, Russia has strongly denied these reports and stated its opposition to deploying nuclear weapons in space. President Putin emphasized during a meeting with Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, "Recently, there have been noises from the U.S. and other Western countries about deploying nuclear weapons in space, but our position is clear and firm. Russia has always been firmly opposed to deploying nuclear weapons in space and continues to oppose it."

Putin said, "Russia only does what other countries like the U.S. do in space," adding, "On the contrary, we have repeatedly proposed to strictly comply with all agreements in this field and strengthen joint efforts, but for some reason, the West is raising this issue with highly charged emotions," refuting the Russian threat narrative.

However, as the Ukraine war enters its third year and continues, and concerns about direct confrontation with the West grow, the Russian threat narrative is unlikely to subside easily. In particular, with the possibility of actual interception of SpaceX’s Starlink satellites, which are actively used militarily in the Ukraine war, the U.S. government is reported to have requested China and India to restrain Russia’s actions.

According to The New York Times (NYT), U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Wang Yi, Director of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission Office of the Chinese Communist Party and Foreign Minister, and Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Indian Foreign Minister, at the Munich Security Conference held in Germany on the 16th and 17th. He said, "If a nuclear explosion occurs in space, it will destroy not only U.S. satellites but also Chinese and Indian satellites," urging, "China and India, which are close to Russia, must step in to stop this."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.