Russian forces launch the Yaris missile during nuclear exercises in October 2022 (Associated Press-Archive)
American media said that National Intelligence has information that Russia is seeking to develop a nuclear weapon for use against satellites, which sparked warnings in Congress of a serious threat to national security.
Russia, which inherited the Soviet Union's nuclear weapons, has the world's largest stockpile of nuclear warheads.
Yesterday, Wednesday, Chairman of the Intelligence Committee in the US House of Representatives, Mike Turner, spoke of Russian military capabilities that are “destabilizing and threaten US national security.”
Turner - a Republican representative - said that the House Intelligence Committee briefed all members of Congress on information related to a serious threat to national security, calling on President Joe Biden to declassify this information so that the United States and its allies can respond to this threat.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan refused to provide details regarding Turner's statements regarding Russian military capabilities that threaten US national security.
Sullivan said - in a press conference at the White House - that he had arranged to hold a meeting today with congressional leaders, adding that he was surprised by Turner's decision to issue these statements.
ABC News quoted two sources as saying that the intelligence information Turner spoke about indicates Russia's desire to place a nuclear weapon in space, indicating that Moscow may not be seeking to drop this nuclear weapon on Earth, but rather to use it against satellites.
The network added that representatives came yesterday afternoon to a private hall to review the information provided to them by Turner, and a number of American lawmakers expressed their concern after being informed of reports related to the supposed Russian threat to national security.
On the other hand, Fox News reported that the use of nuclear systems against satellites could disrupt US military communications and reconnaissance.
The New York Times said that the United States informed Congress and its allies in Europe of Moscow's plans to develop anti-satellite nuclear weapons, and quoted an American official as saying that there was no imminent threat.
Source: Al Jazeera + agencies + American press