Mathias Busekist
NATO is concerned that Russia could soon deploy nuclear weapons in space.
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NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has issued a stark warning, saying that Russia has considered deploying nuclear weapons in outer space.
In an interview with German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, Rutte said that NATO has been made aware of Russian deliberations around placing nuclear arms in orbit.
He described Russia’s current space capabilities as outdated compared to the West, but emphasized that deploying such weapons could significantly boost Moscow’s strategic posture.
“Russia’s pursuit of space-based nuclear capabilities raises profound concerns,” Rutte stated. “While their current technology is inferior, the potential deployment of anti-satellite weapons or nuclear payloads in orbit would be a deeply destabilizing development.”
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Rutte clarified that these potential weapons would not be aimed directly at Earth, but rather at satellites — a move that could wreak havoc on global infrastructure. Satellites are critical to navigation, communications, surveillance, and even civilian utilities. Disrupting them could have catastrophic ripple effects on both military and civilian life.
The NATO chief also reminded that such an action would likely violate the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which restricts the placement of weapons of mass destruction in orbit. The treaty, signed by both Russia and the United States, underlines the peaceful use of outer space.
In a broader context, Rutte pointed to the increasing intensity of the space race, which is no longer confined to commercial ventures but now deeply entwined with global defense strategies. “Space is becoming more crowded, more dangerous, and less predictable,” he said.
Rutte reiterated that NATO’s collective defense clause — Article 5 — applies to outer space. This policy, adopted in 2021, means that an attack from or within space targeting a NATO member could trigger a collective military response from the alliance.
Article 5 has only been invoked once in NATO’s history, following the September 11 attacks in 2001.
