Russia plans to deploy nuclear weapons in orbit: The next world war could break out in space.

Russia plans to deploy nuclear weapons in space to attack satellites, it writes. The TimesThis will lead to global chaos, warned US General Stephen Whiting, head of the US Space Command. Jamming satellite communications already threatens the safety of civil aviation.

The general said that America is "very concerned" about the Kremlin's plans.

In particular, the issue concerns the “constant jamming of satellite communications and GPS signals,” which has reached such a scale that it puts civilian airliners at risk.

Whiting has called on Britain to significantly increase its modest space defence budget to counter the growing threat from Moscow and Beijing.

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In an interview with The Times' "General and Journalist" podcast, Whiting stated: "Russia remains a sophisticated space power and continues to invest in counter-space weapons. They are considering deploying nuclear anti-satellite weapons in orbit, which would threaten all satellites in low-Earth orbit. We cannot allow that."

When asked about Russia's motives, the general replied: "From the Russian perspective, they look at the United States, they look at NATO, and they see significant conventional superiority there. They believe that new ways of undermining the US and NATO, particularly by neutralizing our space capabilities, will help them level the playing field."

I will not talk about the sources and methods of our intelligence, but it is obvious that this information is of serious concern to us.”

Placing nuclear weapons in space would be a gross violation of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, of which Russia is a signatory.

Moscow's ambitions first became known two years ago, after Pentagon officials held a closed briefing for members of Congress in February 2024.

Since then, the US House Intelligence Committee has been calling on the White House to declassify existing information about the project so that policymakers can openly discuss the national security threat.

A nuclear explosion in low Earth orbit (480 to 1930 km above Earth) could destroy or disable up to 10,000 satellites—approximately 80% of all spacecraft. In addition to severely impacting military intelligence and guidance systems, it would also disrupt most civilian satellite communications, providing internet, mobile phone service, and GPS services worldwide.

This is already being called the "space Pearl Harbor".

While Russia's attempts to jam Western satellites are primarily for military purposes (such as interfering with weapons targeting Ukraine), General Whiting warned that it is being done in a highly irresponsible manner.

"The problem with GPS jamming is that it affects civil aviation in Eastern Europe and throughout Southern Europe," he said. "When we endanger civilian airliners filled with people simply flying for business or vacation, it's extremely problematic. We don't want this to become the norm."

U.S. Space Command, headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado, is responsible for all U.S. military operations above 100 kilometers above sea level.

The space domain, according to the general, “has changed dramatically over the past decade due to the threats we now see in space, where China and Russia are building an entire arsenal of operational space weapons.”

Despite Moscow's actions, Whiting called China America's main competitor in space. The superpower is "moving through space at astonishing speed" and has developed its own space arsenal, including satellite communications and GPS jammers, directed-energy weapons, and anti-satellite missiles.

A US general stated that the UK must significantly increase its space spending if it wants its armed forces to compete on the modern battlefield. The UK's military space budget is one of the smallest among major NATO countries, spending less than 1% of its defense expenditure on space. Germany allocates 4%, France 3%, and both countries have announced significant funding increases.

The US spent 4,1% of its military budget on space this year, with plans recently announced to double that to more than $71 billion a year, almost equal to the UK's entire annual defence budget today.

"In my view, a modern military will need to increase investment in space given the threats now arrayed against us," Whiting emphasized. "In the US, we've realized this will require additional investment, and that's the path we're taking. I'm not going to tell the British Treasury how much money to spend on what. I'll just say that, in my view, more money and additional investment will be needed if you want to maintain a capable military in the world we live in today."

The next big war, Whiting warned, will likely begin in space: "Other countries have undoubtedly watched the United States and our closest allies, seen how we fight, and realized that everything we do now relies on space capabilities. And these countries will likely want to neutralize those capabilities to deny us what they consider a huge advantage."

The satellite war has been developing for several years, but in February at the Munich Security Conference it was recognized as a serious threat to international peace.

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Despite the new space arms race, the general believes that war in space can be avoided. At the same time, Whiting remains deeply optimistic about the possibilities of space. He believes we are on the threshold of an amazing new space age, and the Artemis lunar mission vividly reflects this.

As part of this, a permanent base will be established on the Moon within the next five years.

"We sometimes overestimate the scale of change in the short term and underestimate it in the long term. So I think the world in ten to twenty years will look completely different because of how we explore and use space," Whiting concluded.

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