Russia does not have nuclear weapons in space, and the country has always been against their placement in orbit, President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. Thus, he commented on the hype in the United States over the "Russian threat" from space.
Our position is clear and transparent: we have always been categorically against and are now against the placement of nuclear weapons in space
The President added that Russia is only doing in space what other countries, including the United States, are doing. However, for some unknown reason, this topic is now being raised in the West on a "highly emotional note," he concluded.
Nuclear tug "Zeus"
Russia has been developing the Zeus orbital complex since 2010 - a compact nuclear reactor with turbomachine conversion of thermal energy into electricity. Its first mission is expected to take place in 2030.
"Zeus" will look for life on Jupiter's satellites, breaking through with the help of radar equipment deep into the multi-kilometer ice shield of Europe, Ganymede and Callisto. And a payload in the form of spectrometers and gas analyzers will allow you to look for places that are potentially suitable for life.
What scared the US
According to The New York Times, the chairman of the US House Intelligence Committee, Michael Turner, said that Russia had allegedly made significant progress in creating new space-based nuclear weapons, which it could potentially use to attack American space satellites. It is alleged that such weapons could destroy communications necessary for US military operations.
American military officials have previously warned that Russia and China are allegedly seeking to militarize space. One report indicated that Russia was developing weapons to "blind" satellites, but has not yet used them. Given these concerns, the US National Security Council decided to prepare a response in case of a threat from Russia from space.
What experts say about "Zeus"
The Institute for Space Research (IKI) of the Russian Academy of Sciences emphasized that Zeus is a research apparatus, not a nuclear weapon. Leading researcher at IKI, Nathan Eismont, noted that, in fact, it is an ordinary nuclear reactor, which is used on Earth to generate electricity.
