Russia is preparing an atomic attack from orbit. Threatened thousands of satellites and global security
According to Rutte, the situation is even more dangerous because Russia, devoid of financial resources and modern technology as a result of Western sanctions, has no greater chance to effectively compete with the Americans in the field of satellite development. The report of the Washington Center for International Strategic Studies (CSIS) convinces about this.
Just look at the data: in 1984 the Soviet Union placed 122 satellites in orbit, when Washington only 36. Today, however, the proportions are the opposite. According to CSIS, in 2023, the Americans fired 2221 satellites, and the Russians only 60. This is forced by the Kremlin to look for a completely different path in the space arms racewhich turns out to be destroying someone else's assets instead of attempts to outdo his rivals.
For the first time, Moscow was to place a satellite capable of attacking others in February 2022, a few days before the invasion of Ukraine. This year, according to experts, the Russians wanted to carry out further starts of the Kosmos 2581, 2582 and 2583 combat satellites, although Rutte emphasizes that the biggest threat is just coming.
Nuclear load in space
It could be an unit equipped with a nuclear charge, which would also paralyze the work of a huge number of satellites, including those used by the Ukrainian army.
From Kiev's point of view, this would mean a dramatic loss of American intelligence support based on very accurate data from orbit.
The new threat, however, makes Washington aware that not only Russia but also China becomes an important player in the fight for dominance in the sky. During a recent interrogation in the Senate, General Stephen N. Whiting, commander of the American cosmic forces, He warned that Beijing is implementing very ambitious plans to expand his own constellation satellitesto match the potential of the United States by 2030, and by 2045 take full control over the key elements of military space infrastructure.
However, Chinese plans can enter a collision with the Kremlin's plans. If Russia puts nuclear weapons in orbit, it will threaten not only Americans but also Chinese satellites. This would be a blow to a Chinese strategy to increase your own importance in space.
There is a chance for the West
So there is an unexpected chance for the West. They will gain allies among other space powers, which also cannot allow Russia to violate the records of the 1967 treaty, signed by Moscow itself.
Such an act would violate Not only many years of legal order, but also Chinese ambitions, and thus would make XI Jinping to preventive measures.
An equally important role can be played by India, another country investing in space, which like Beijing does not want the Kremlin to destroy his expansion plans. The use of this split is therefore in the interest of the United States.
In the Kremlin they still hope that they will avoid a serious conflict with Washington and Beijing, but uncompromising The attitude of Vladimir Putin regarding the war in Ukraine is increasingly irritating the White House. Placing nuclear weapons in space would be in contradiction with agreements to which Moscow is still formally obliged.
The Russian president maneuver between the aspirations of the reconstruction of imperial power and economic dependence on trade with China and India. Everything indicates that he intends to risk another confrontation with the West, which already announces sharper sanctions. At the same time, NATO collects intelligence and focuses on building satellites resistant to possible Russian attacks, preparing for a serious clash for the future of space.
