Russia is preparing a "Space Pearl Harbor"

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Moscow plans to deploy weapons in orbit capable of causing global chaos, warns General Steven Whiting, head of U.S. Space Command.

According to Whiting, Russia remains a technologically advanced space power and continues to invest in systems designed to destroy or neutralize satellites.

One idea is to place a nuclear charge in low Earth orbit, which, if detonated, could paralyze a significant part of the world's satellite infrastructure.

It is estimated that an explosion at an altitude of 300 to 1200 miles (approximately 480 to 1930 km) could destroy or gradually disable up to 10,000 satellites — about 80% of all objects in orbit.

The consequences would be catastrophic: from the loss of military intelligence and targeting systems to a complete failure of civilian services — the Internet, mobile communications, and GPS.

This scenario has already been dubbed "Space Pearl Harbor" in military circles. The U.S. learned of these intentions in 2024, and the Pentagon conducted closed briefings for Congress at that time. Since then, American lawmakers have called for more information about the threat to be declassified.

General Whiting explains Russia's plans as an attempt to level the playing field on the battlefield.

"They look at the United States and NATO and they see our conventional advantage. And they believe that new ways to undermine the United States and NATO, such as neutralizing our space capabilities, will help them level the playing field on the battlefield," he noted.

However, as the expert notes, the deployment of nuclear weapons in space would be a direct and gross violation of the Outer Space Treaty, to which Russia is also a signatory.

According to Whiting, Russia's aggression in space did not begin today. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, the Kremlin has constantly used electronic warfare tools. Widespread jamming of GPS signals is already creating danger for civil aviation in Eastern and Southern Europe, jeopardizing the lives of ordinary passengers.

However, Russia is not the only challenge. The general called China the main strategic competitor, as Beijing is developing in the space sector "staggeringly fast," creating its own lasers and anti-satellite missiles.

Whiting called on the UK government and other NATO countries to significantly increase spending on space defense. In his opinion, future wars could start in space, as modern armies are critically dependent on satellite systems. Despite gloomy warnings, the general believes that war in space can be avoided through a policy of deterrence.

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