The White House has confirmed it is monitoring a new Russian anti-satellite weapon, calling it “troubling”.
The anti-satellite weapon is being developed but hasn’t been deployed, a spokesperson said, confirming it is not an immediate threat to anyone’s safety.
John Kirby, the national security spokesperson, did not directly respond to reports the Russian weapon was nuclear, but said it was “space-based”. Kirby said it violated the 1967 Outer Space Treaty – signed by 130 countries – which prohibits the deployment in space of nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destruction.
It comes after a wave of rumors about a new threat after the Republican chair of the House Intelligence Committee Mike Turner gave cryptic comments.
“While I’m limited by how much I can share about the specific nature of the threat. I can confirm that is related to an anti-satellite capability that Russia is developing,” Kirby said.
“This is not an active capability that’s been deployed, and though Russia’s pursuit of this particular capability is troubling, there is no immediate threat to anyone’s safety.
“We are not talking about a weapon that can be used to attack human beings or cause physical destruction here on Earth. That said, we’ve been closely monitoring this Russian activity and we will continue to take it very seriously.”
Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser was set to meet the ‘gang of eight’ security-cleared congressional leaders from both parties yesterday afternoon to discuss the weapon after officials were surprised Turner publicized a classified briefing.
The news of the anti-satellite weapon was made public on Wednesday by Turner. Officials claimed it was a breach of secrecy terms for the ‘gang of eight’, who are briefed by members of the administration. Sullivan was surprised Turner decided to issue a public call for the information to be declassified.
Antony Blinken, while on a visit to Albania yesterday, said: “This is not an active capability but it is a potential one that we’re taking very, very seriously and I expect we’ll have more to say very soon. Stay tuned for that.”
He added: “President Biden’s focus is on the security of the US and its people and as we approach this and every other issue that’s first and foremost on his mind.”
Blinken said the Biden administration is “conferring with allies and partners on this issue”.
The Kremlin has dismissed the call for warning the public as a “malicious fabrication”, claiming it was pressuring Congress to approve more money for Ukraine.
The Outer Space Treaty was signed in 1967 and came after the US carried out a series of high-altitude nuclear tests. The biggest of all in 1962 lit up the sky over the Pacific and triggered an electromagnetic pulse that caused radiation belts to form around the Earth, and satellites to malfunction.
The test, Starfish Prime, demonstrated a nuclear detonation in space would impact satellites in orbit and paved the way for the treaty five years later.
The Secure World Foundation think tank said last year in a report Russia has been working on conventional anti-satellite technology for 14 years.
“There is strong evidence that Russia has embarked on a set of programs since 2010 to regain many of its Cold War-era counterspace capabilities,” the report said.
It added most of the Russian activity revolved around surveillance but reported Moscow had deployed two “sub-satellites” at high velocity, suggesting that some of the activity was “of a weapons nature”.
