Growing Tension: US and Russia Spar Over Space Weapons Ban

After Russia launched a satellite last week, the US asserted on Monday that space may be weaponized, a trend the UN Security Council has yet to address.

The council debated a Russian resolution to counter the US-Japan one that failed last month. The US and Japan's drafts focused on weapons of mass destruction, whereas Russia's included all weapons.

The 15-member council considered terminology that the United States and its allies believed was meant to deflect from Russia's underlying goal of weaponizing space, according to a report from AP News.

US Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood told the UN Council that Russia's efforts are "diplomatic gaslighting." Vassily Nebenzia, Russia's UN ambassador, supported by China and others, disputed the claims and termed the vote a test for Western nations.

Nebenzia remarked that failure to support Russia's proposal indicates the Western nations' intention to maintain the possibility of weaponizing space.

On Monday, council members reaffirmed that all states want weapons out of space. When Switzerland abstained the vote was 7-7.

Paul Meyer, Canada's former ambassador for disarmament and Outer Space Institute fellow, remarked that leading space powers have a "negative, squabbling attitude" focusing more on "scoring points" against their rivals instead of engaging in "constructive dialogue."

Russia Accused of Developing a Nuclear Weapon in Space

According to reports from the United States Congress, Russia may be planning to launch a nuclear-powered military satellite or nuclear bomb.

The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence informed all members of Congress of a severe national security danger on February 14, according to House Intelligence Committee head Mike Turner (R-Ohio). Turner did not provide any specifics on the danger, but he encouraged President Joe Biden to declassify it to facilitate response talks.

Turner reportedly worries about Russia's purported attempts to launch a nuclear weapon that might target satellites vital to US civilian communications, navigation, military operations, and intelligence collection.

According to an article from The Diplomat, recent sources say Russia is developing a nuclear-explosion-based EMP weapon that can destroy satellites with a tremendous electromagnetic pulse to impair global communication and navigation. A weapon like this would violate Russia's 1967 Outer Space Treaty obligations.

Jake Sullivan, US National Security Advisor, briefed House leadership and committee chairmen on the danger and its analysis, while Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed the gravity of the issue and hinted at updates.

Russia denied the allegations, accusing the US of disseminating disinformation and fabricating the dossier.

CSIS Reports on Space Weaponization

Last month, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) published its annual Space Threat Assessment study, utilizing open-source data to assess space weapon advances and their effects on US national security space systems.

The report underscores China and Russia's growing anti-satellite capabilities, emphasizing the worldwide dependency on space-based systems for crucial services, per Space News. It also underlines the rising vulnerability of civilian and commercial space systems to weapons, cyberattacks, and espionage.

Over the last year, China, North Korea, Iran, India, and Japan have achieved record launches, satellite deployments, and lunar missions. While not directly related to counter space weapons, these advancements significantly benefit civil and military systems.

The research also analyzes commercial space services in global wars, mentioning Ukraine, Israel, and Gaza. It also shows the normalcy of counter space actions like cyberattacks, jamming, and spoofing, which seldom draws a reaction.

Furthermore, CSIS experts noted cyber threats to space systems, which enable important national capabilities like telecommunications. China and Russia use satellites to study US government satellites, with Russia possibly running two espionage satellites. They also underscore China's testing of grappler satellite technology in geostationary orbit, posing a persistent threat.