Russia is developing a new nuclear weapon in space that could be detonated in orbit, the Pentagon has warned.
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Pentagon → develop → orbit
The chilling new development was revealed in a report this week by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA).
asserted
development → reveal → Agency
The agency warned that Moscow's new doomsday device would be capable of destroying thousands of satellites at once.
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device → warn → satellites
The impact of such an attack would have devastating global consequences and could plunge the British economy into freefall.
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impact → have → freefall
The news comes as Vladimir Putin issued one of his starkest threats to the West on Thursday, warning he was 'ready' to go to war with Europe.
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he → come → Europe
'Russia is developing a satellite designed to carry a nuclear weapon despite its obligation to comply with the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which prohibits the placement of any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction into orbit around Earth,' the DIA said in its latest report on Monday.
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DIA → develop → Monday
'A space-based capability such as this could cause rapid and sudden loss or degradation of thousands of satellites operated by countries and companies around the world, as well as to the vital communications, navigation, scientific, meteorological, commercial, and national security services they provide.
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they → base → services
It's unclear how Russia would deploy its new nuclear weapon.
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Russia → deploy → weapon
It could loiter in orbit and be launched from a satellite.
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It → loiter → satellite
Or it could be deployed from the ground.
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it → deploy → ground
The explosion of a nuke in orbit would create an electromagnetic pulse, which could be capable of disrupting satellites hundreds of miles away from the initial blast.
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which → create → blast
Russia is developing nuclear space weapons that could destroy thousands of satellites, US intelligence has warned (stock image)
The DIA said detonating such a weapon would have long-lasting consequences, leaving a damaging radiation belt hanging above the earth.
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detonating → develop → earth
'Beyond its immediate effects, a nuclear detonation in space would also leave lingering radiation belts, which could persist for years and damage satellites that initially were only temporarily disrupted,' it's report added.
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report → leave → satellites
Space is increasingly critical to modern life, with nations relying on thousands of satellites to provide global navigation systems, used by billions.
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nations → rely → billions
The space sector is also a major driver for the economy, with around 18 per cent of UK GDP - about £454billion - now reliant on satellite services.
However, defence chiefs have warned that space is increasingly becoming a domain of competition and will soon become the next future battlefield.
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space → warn → competition
Adversaries, like Russia and China, are investing in technology to disrupt, degrade, and deny the space-based services.
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Adversaries → invest → services
As the threat continues to grow, a military space chief this week warned Britons the prospect of a Kremlin-launched assault on orbital satellites was become ever more likely.
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prospect → continue → satellites
Air Marshal Paul Godfrey said such an attack could devastate the UK's economy, claiming society's reliance on space tech, powering things like banking and navigation apps, had left it vulnerable.
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reliance → say → it
'What people don't understand is just the proliferation of threat in the space domain,' he told The Times's The General and The Journalist podcast.
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he → understand → podcast
Air Marshal Paul Godfrey (pictured) said such an attack could devastate the UK's economy
The news comes as Vladimir Putin warned on Oct 29 he was 'ready' to go to war with Europe
'
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he → picture → Europe
I do think resilience is important in this … connected world, because everything is handed to us on a plate.
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everything → think → plate
Personally, I've thought, am I going to get some solar panels and a battery in the garage so I've got a little bit of power if the power goes out?'
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power → think → power
AM Godfrey pointed to the first known act of intimidation in space earlier this month, when a Russian satellite almost hit a US satellite providing intelligence to Ukraine.
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satellite → point → Ukraine
The military officer, who was the first leader of UK Space Command when it was set up in 2021 before being headhunted to become the assistant chief of space operations at the Pentagon two years ago, said civilian satellites were most vulnerable.
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satellites → set → Pentagon
Among one of the prime targets, he said, included the European Galileo network, which provides global positioning systems via a timing signal.
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which → say → signal
Putin on Thursday warned there would be 'no winners' if he entered a conflict with Nato, as he issued his latest threat to the West.
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he → warn → West
Despite insisting he did not want to become embroiled in a bloody fight with Europe, he said if tensions continued to escalate, he and his troops are ready.
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he → insist → Europe
'Many people keep talking about preparing for war by 2030.
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people → talk → 2030
Is that right or wrong?' the Russian tyrant said at a press conference in Moscow.
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tyrant → say → Moscow
'First of all, we are ready, but we don't want any war with Europe.
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we → want → Europe
As for them, if anyone wants it, let them prepare.
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them → want → it
'But they have not achieved their goal of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia.
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they → achieve → Russia
'And if things go too far, there will be no winners at all.
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things → go → ?
Let no one forget that.'
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one → let → that
Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv Smyth, the Chief of Air Staff, last month warned space was now facing an 'unprecedented threat' from the likes of Russia.
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space → warn → Russia
Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv Smyth (pictured), the Chief of Air Staff, last month warned space was now facing an 'unprecedented threat' from the likes of Russia
The RAF boss claimed the Kremlin had already launched hostile operations in high orbit to target Nato satellites and disrupt GPS systems
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Kremlin → picture → systems
Make no mistake, the satellite services you may have taken for granted now face an unprecedented threat,' he told the Space and Power Conference in London.
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he → make → London
Sir Harv said that in May this year, the Ministry of Defence had 'tracked a series of unusual and significant manoeuvres by five Russian military satellites – moving to within rapid reach of two Finnish commercial satellites'.
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Ministry → say → satellites
Then, in June, it was confirmed Russian satellites had disrupted GPS signals across Europe, Greenland and Canada over at least 75 days since 2019, the RAF chief added.
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chief → confirm → 2019
'These manoeuvres are uncommon and dangerous – raising serious questions about Russia's intent in space,' Sir Harv warned.
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Harv → raise → space
…and 6 more, not listed.
The Aporia
