The White House publicly confirmed on Thursday that Russia is developing an anti-satellite weapon, but said it could not directly cause physical destruction on Earth.
John Kirby, the White House National Security Council coordinator, said that US intelligence officials have information that Russia has acquired such a capability, but that such a weapon is not currently operational. US officials are analyzing the information available to them about the emerging technology and have been consulting with allies and partners on the matter.
“First of all, it’s not an active capability that’s deployed, and while Russia’s efforts to acquire this particular capability are worrisome, there’s no direct threat to anyone’s security,” Kirby said. “We’re not talking about a weapon that could be used to attack people or cause physical destruction here on Earth.”
The New York Times writes that the United States has informed Congress and its European allies about Moscow’s plans. The newspaper notes that Russia is still working on such weapons and has not yet deployed them. The New York Times quotes officials as saying there is no imminent threat.
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Michael Turner on Wednesday called on the White House to declassify information about “serious threats to national security” so Congress, the administration and US allies can openly discuss how to respond to those threats. Turner did not reveal what exactly it was about, and his cryptic appeal opened the door to all kinds of speculation. Shortly thereafter, the US media began reporting on Russia’s space plans.
Content continues after commercial
Advertising
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said at a press conference at the White House on Wednesday that he was “a little surprised” by Turner’s announcement, as he himself had approached members of Congress earlier in the week with an offer to personally brief them on the issue on Thursday.
2024-02-15 21:04:36
#Russia #developing #nuclear #weapons #attacks #space #intelligence #services
