What is the “serious threat to U.S. national security” involving Russian nuclear capabilities in space?

The chairman of the Intelligence Committee of the House of Representatives of U.SRepublican Michael Turner warned Wednesday that the country faces a new and “serious” national security threat. According to local media, this threat is related to the deployment of nuclear capabilities Russia in space with the aim of neutralizing vital North American satellites.

turner He said in a statement that he asked congressmen to analyze “information about a serious threat to national security”, without specifying what it was.

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The representative explained that the commission voted on Tuesday in favor of declassify information about this threat and that now all members of the Chamber could have access to data on the subject.

Turner also called on US President Joe Biden to declassify “all information related to this threat.” so that it can be disseminated to the rest of the population, so that an answer can be discussed.

Representative Michael Turner, Republican of Ohio, during a House Intelligence Committee hearing, November 21, 2019. (Photo by Andrew Harrer/POOL/AFP). (ANDREW HARRER/)

In the absence of specific details about the threat mentioned by the turnerand the official silence of the The White House In this regard, American media outlets such as ABC News, CNN, NBC News and The New York Times revealed what this is all about.

ABC News first reported that The threat Turner was referring to had to do with a Russian anti-satellite nuclear weapon..

Two Capitol Hill sources familiar with the matter confirmed to ABC News that the alert had to do with Russia’s desire to put a nuclear weapon in spaceto use it against American satellites.

If this occurs, Russia would violate the 1967 Outer Space Treatywhich prohibits placing any nuclear or mass destruction weapon into orbit, according to the United States press.

Both ABC News and The New York Times emphasized that The alleged Russian project is in the development phase and does not pose an immediate threat.

Three officials familiar with the matter confirmed to CNN that the Russian system is not yet in place. orbit.

It’s unclear how far technology has progressedsaid one of the employees.

Another US official told CNN that the threat does not involve a weapon that would be used to attack humans.

It was unclear whether the intelligence referred to a nuclear-powered anti-satellite capability or a nuclear weapons capability, CNN said.

While the AP agency indicated that a weapon of this type could pose a great danger to North American satellites that transmit billions of bytes of data every hour.

Meanwhile, a former US official told The New York Times what At the moment, the United States does not have the capacity to combat such a weapon to defend their satellites.

The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. (Photo by Gavriil GRIGOROV/POOL/AFP). (GAVRIIL GRIGOROV/)

CNN He specified that the intelligence information was brought to the attention of Congress and the main allies of the U.S.

Several prominent lawmakers, including the Republican speaker of the House michael johnsonstressed that politicians and citizens should not be too alarmed and that what is known does not pose an immediate threat to the United States.

The representative Jim Himesthe leading Democrat Intelligence Committeesaid the matter “It’s important, but it’s not a reason to panic”.

Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., speaks during a House Intelligence Committee hearing on April 15, 2021. (Photo by Al Drago/POOL/AFP). (TO DRAGON/)

In turn, the White House National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivansaid on Wednesday that he was “surprised” that turner reportedly made public the existence of intelligence information and noted that he was already scheduled to brief top Republican and Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives on the matter on Thursday.

The meeting of Sullivan It will be behind closed doors Capitol and the eight highest-ranking intelligence legislators will participate. No further details on the matter are expected to be officially offered.

When asked Sullivan If the public should be concerned about the threat, he said: “In some ways, it’s impossible to answer that question with a straight ‘yes’… because Americans understand that there are a variety of threats and challenges in the world that we face every day, and these threats and challenges range from terrorism to state actors, and we have to deal with them.”

Hans Kristensendirector of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists, told CNN that while several members of Congress have downplayed the immediacy of the threat, an anti-satellite weapon placed in Earth’s orbit would pose a significant danger to U.S. nuclear command and control satellites.

Kristensen described these satellites as essential for ensure constant and fluid control over the United States nuclear arsenal.

The expert also recalled that other countries have tested anti-satellite weapons in the past, but said that the Russian plan would be an escalation.

“Yes it is orbitalIt’s a new level of threat [para el sistema], whether nuclear or not,” Kristensen told CNN. He added that even conventional weapons in an orbital anti-satellite system could pose a significant threat to the U.S.

For your part, Stephen Donehooexpert on national security and terrorism, told Telemundo that Information handled by United States intelligence must not be declassified.

“Why would we tell the enemy that he is in a position to harm us what we know, and have a public discussion about the matter… It is idiotic to ask the Government to declassify, to disclose in public something that is obviously so sensitive” , he noted.

Dmitri Peskov, Kremlin spokesman. (Photo: AFP archive/ NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA). (NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA/)

Information is known as long as A $60 billion aid package for Ukraine remains blocked in US Congressa country that is at war with Russia.

Precisely Moscow’s first reaction pointed to this issue. Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskovsaid Thursday that claims about a new Russian military capability They are a ploy aimed at getting the US Congress to finally approve aid to Ukraine.

“It is obvious that Washington is trying to force Congress to vote on the aid bill, by hook or by crook,” Peskov said in comments carried by Russian news agencies.

While the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergei Ryabkovmaintained that Washington’s statements are “unfounded”.

“We constantly repeat that we will not respond to the various unfounded accusations. “If they make statements, they must be accompanied by evidence,” Riabkov told Russian press agencies.

“This is part of the trend of the last ten years in which Americans indulge in malevolent inventions and attribute to us all kinds of actions or intentions that do not suit them,” he added.

Source: Elcomercio