Russia developing nuclear weapon in space that could destroy thousands of satellites, Pentagon warns

The Pentagon has warned that Russia is developing a nuclear weapon for use in space that could be detonated in orbit.

The warning was contained in a Defense Intelligence Agency report released on Monday, according to the Daily Mail. The agency said the weapon could destroy thousands of satellites at once.

“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.

It added that a detonation would leave “lingering radiation belts, which could persist for years and damage satellites that initially were only temporarily disrupted.”

It is unclear how Russia would deploy the weapon.

The report comes as President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday: “First of all, we are ready, but we don’t want any war with Europe.” Air Marshal Paul Godfrey, a military space chief, also warned that an attack on orbital satellites was becoming more likely and could devastate the UK economy.