The Russian Federation is developing the ability to target satellites in orbit, as revealed by the White House, which described Moscow’s pursuit of this particular capability as “troubling.”

The US is keeping a careful eye on Russian activities, according to White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby, and will continue to treat it seriously in light of claims that Moscow is allegedly working on building a space-based nuclear weapon that would be able to take down or destroy satellites.

“While I am limited in what I can share about the specific nature of the threat, I can confirm that it is related to an anti-satellite capability that Russia is developing,” John Kirby stated at a press briefing on Thursday (local time). I want to make a few points very apparent from the outset.”

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“We concur with that, which is naturally consistent with our previous practices of downgrading material. This administration has made a significant effort to deliberately and methodically do it, especially with regard to Russia. And when we think of downgrading, there are two things we always do first. To ensure that our sources and techniques are safeguarded, we first collaborate with the intelligence community to perform a comprehensive cleaning of the intelligence. Furthermore, in order to achieve the greatest impact, we coordinate our public disclosure with our private diplomacy,” he continued.

“I’m not going to be able to go into any more detail,” Kirby said in response to a question about whether it is a nuclear bomb or a nuclear-powered weapon.

According to a CBS News report, Turner stated, “I am requesting that President Biden declassify all information relating to this threat so that Congress, the administration, and our allies can openly discuss the actions necessary to respond to this threat.”

Notably, the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 now forbids the use of nuclear weapons in orbit. In the Earth’s orbit, a nuclear explosion might have both short-term and long-term repercussions.

According to a 2023 study by the Centre for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), nuclear explosions could have a wide range of harmful effects in the immediate aftermath. Pulses of high-energy radiation, such as heat, x-rays, and other radiation, “can damage nearby satellites and blind their sensors.”