Russia seeking to deploy nuclear weapons in space, warns NATO chief

NATO Chief Mark Rutte has warned that Russia is considering the deployment of nuclear weapons in space, and that it will be a threat to the thousands of satellites orbiting the Earth that are crucial for defence, communications, and the daily lives of people.
In an interview with the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte warned that the Russian nuclear weapons in space would not target Earth but may target satellites and would be a violation of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty.

“We are aware of reports that Russia is examining the possibility of placing nuclear weapons in space,” Rutte told Welt am Sonntag in an interview published on Saturday. Welt is a sister publication of POLITICO in the Axel Springer Group.

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“Moscow’s capabilities in space are outdated in comparison with the West. Therefore, the development of nuclear weapons in space is a way for Russia to improve its capabilities. This is very worrying,” he added.

The weapons would not target Earth, but shooting down satellites could have serious ramifications, as several systems and services we are accustomed to using rely on satellites, including navigation and communication systems, as well as environmental monitoring.
“Space is also very important for our deterrence and defence—just as important as land, sea, air, and cyberspace,” Rutte said.

Rutte added that such a move by Russia would violate the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, signed by the United States and the Soviet Union at the time. The international agreement signed by 114 countries to prevent an arms race is still the framework of international space law and prohibits the deployment of weapons of mass destruction in space.

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Critics, however, point out that the treaty does not completely rule out military activities in space and may not address the dangers that emanate from modern satellite systems.

“NATO allies are adapting to the challenges in space, including sharing intelligence and establishing national space command centres, but also developing smaller satellites that are more manoeuvrable and better protected,” he added.

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“In recent years, space has become increasingly crowded, dangerous, and unpredictable. We know that competition in space is fierce and becoming increasingly bitter. And not just in commercial terms. This affects our entire security,” he said.

With about 7,000 satellites currently orbiting Earth, “space-based systems directly affect our way of life,” said Rutte, a former Dutch prime minister. “They ensure, for example, that mobile phones, banking services, and weather forecasts work.”