WASHINGTON, February 16. /TASS/. The US administration believes that the new threat to the national security of the United States, which made headlines on February 14, is linked to Russia’s alleged project to develop anti-satellite weapons, US National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby told reporters.
"I'm limited by how much I can share about the specific nature of the threat. I can confirm that it is related to an anti-satellite capability that Russia is developing," he said.
"First, this is not an active capability that's been deployed," the White House official continued. "And though Russia’s pursuit of this particular capability is troubling, there is no immediate threat to anyone’s safety. We are not talking about a weapon that can be used to attack human beings or cause physical destruction here on Earth. That said, we've been closely monitoring this Russian activity and we will continue to take it very seriously."
"President Biden has been kept fully and regularly informed by his national security team, including today," Kirby added.
He went on to say that the capability in question "would be space-based, and it would be a violation of the [1967] Outer Space Treaty to which more than 130 countries have signed up to including Russia."
In this regard, Kirby also reaffirmed the White House’s commitment to the document.
The official dismissed rumors that the White House statements about alleged Russia-related threat to US national security were aimed at persuading the US Congress to approve supplemental aid to Ukraine.
Previously, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan announced plans to hold a briefing in the House to discuss an alleged threat to national security. Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) pointed out that he sees no reason for "public alarm." ABC alleged that the unspecified threat to national security could be connected to Moscow’s plans to deploy nuclear weapons in space. The New York Times reported, citing US officials, that these are only potential plans, claiming that this project is only in the planning stages now.
Commenting on these reports, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told TASS that the US puts out malicious fabrications, attributing undesirable actions and intentions to Russia. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov called such Western media reports another ploy by the White House, which, "rightly or wrongly, is trying to push Congress to vote on the appropriations bill.".