NATO chief: Russia may deploy nuclear weapons in space

Russia is considering placing nuclear weapons in space, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said in an interview with Welt am Sonntag. 

NATO is deeply concerned about the Kremlin’s plans, calling this potential development “worrying.”

Currently, Russia’s space capabilities lag behind those of the West. However, Russia is seeking to improve its space technology and could, in the future, engage in space warfare, using nuclear weapons against satellites, Rutte said.

“Developing nuclear weapons in space is a way for Russia to enhance its capabilities. This is a major cause for concern,” he said.

Such a move would violate the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, signed by the U.S. and the USSR – the latter’s role Russia has chosen to have inherited, including keeping a seat in the UN’s Security Council with veto power. 

This agreement, now part of international law, prohibits the placement of weapons of mass destruction in space that aims to prevent an arms race beyond Earth.

“Space has become increasingly crowded, dangerous, and unpredictable in recent years,” Rutte said.

Meanwhile, NATO allies are adapting to new space-related challenges by exchanging intelligence, establishing national space commands, and developing better-protected satellites.

“We are aware that the competition in space is fierce and growing more intense, not only in the commercial sector. It impacts our overall security,” Rutte said.

Space is now essential for NATO’s deterrence and defense, he said.

In January, Andrius Kubilius, the European Union’s Commissioner for Defense and Space, called for the creation of a “European Space Shield” to consolidate defense efforts in space.