Why Everyone Is Raising The Alarm About Russian Space Nukes

What is the news saying, and should you worry?

(Public domain)

There has been a general alarm raised among the global powers about the potential for Russia to deploy nuclear weapons into space. At first glance, this doesn’t seem like anything new. The idea that a nuclear weapon can be put into orbit has been circulating since the 1960s. In fact, there are a number of treaties addressing that potential specifically. Putting a nuclear weapon into space is illegal. It is also something that has been possible for decades. So why is everyone wigging out now?

• Exclusive: Russia attempting to develop nuclear space weapon to destroy satellites with massive energy wave, sources familiar with intel say (CNN)
• GOP warning of ‘national security threat’ is about Russia wanting nuclear weapon in space: Sources (ABC)
• Russia’s Advances on Space-Based Nuclear Weapon Draw U.S. Concerns (NYT)
• Nukes in space: What have Russia and the United States said? (Reuters)
• US Tells Allies Russia May Launch Anti-Satellite Nuclear Weapon Into Space This Year (Bloomberg)

There are two things at play here. First, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the country has been in complete international isolation…