NATO Secretary General Concerned About Possible Russian Use of Nuclear Weapons in Space

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced this in an interview with Welt am Sonntag, Ukrinform reports.

“We are aware of reports that Russia is considering placing nuclear weapons in outer space,” Rutte said.

He noted that Russia's space capabilities are “outdated” and not up to par with the West's, so developing nuclear weapons in space would be a way for Russia to improve its capabilities, adding that this raises serious concerns.

Read also: Russia will remain a long-term threat to NATO even after the conflict in Ukraine ends – Rutte

These so-called anti-satellite weapons are not aimed at the Earth, but at satellites, Rutte noted. He stressed that the destruction of satellites could lead to chaos on Earth, since many systems depend on satellite support.

Rutte warned against violating the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which enshrines the principles of the peaceful use of outer space. The treaty is signed by most countries, including Russia and the United States.

“In recent years, space has become increasingly crowded, dangerous and unpredictable. We recognise that competition in space is fierce and intensifying. This affects not only commerce, but also our common security,” Rutte said in an interview.

According to media reports, in 2021, NATO decided that Article 5 on the mutual assistance obligation also applies to attacks in or from space.

Article 5 states that an armed attack against one or more allies is to be considered an attack against them all. The article has only been invoked once in NATO history, in support of the United States after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.