Russia 'Developing Anti-Satellite Capability,' White House Confirms

The Biden administration confirmed on Thursday that it has intelligence indicating Russia is developing a capability to target satellites in space, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

The move came as the Congressional Intelligence Committee issued a cryptic warning about "a serious national security threat."

"I can confirm that it is related to an anti-satellite capability that Russia is developing." John Kirby, President Biden's advisor and a national security spokesman, told reporters during a daily briefing.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan briefed Congressional leaders on the threat Thursday afternoon. Sullivan declined to provide further details but said day before that the Biden administration is "protecting the national security of the United States and the American people."

Kirby went on to add, "This is not an active capability that's been deployed, and though Russia's pursuit of this particular capability is troubling, there is no immediate threat to anyone's safety... We're not talking about a weapon that can be used to attack human beings or cause physical destruction here on Earth," Kirby said, later adding that the threat "would be space-based."

Washington has been aware of Russia's pursuit of the capability for many months, if not years, according to senior officials, but only in recent weeks has the intelligence community been able to assess with a higher sense of confidence exactly how Russia continues to pursue it.

In the meantime, the White House would not give details about whether the capability involved a nuclear-powered weapon or a nuclear-capable weapon.

Russia drew international condemnation in 2021 when it destroyed a Soviet-era satellite with a missile fired from the ground. The test created 1,500 pieces of orbital debris that forced crewmembers on the International Space Station to seek shelter.