NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has raised concerns over the possibility of Russia deploying nuclear weapons in outer space to target satellites. Speaking to German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, Rutte highlighted the risk, describing the move as a strategy for Moscow to bolster its outdated space capabilities in comparison to the West.
“Therefore, the development of nuclear weapons in space is a way for Russia to improve its capabilities. This is very worrying,” Rutte remarked. While the weapons would not directly target Earth, the destruction of satellites could cause widespread disruption. Navigation, communication, and environmental monitoring systems—all of which rely heavily on satellites—could be severely impacted.
Such actions, Rutte warned, would violate the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, an agreement signed during the Cold War by the United States and the Soviet Union. The treaty remains a cornerstone of international space law, prohibiting the placement of weapons of mass destruction in outer space.
Rutte emphasized that NATO allies are adapting to these emerging threats by enhancing intelligence-sharing and developing more resilient satellite systems. “In recent years, space has become increasingly crowded, dangerous, and unpredictable. We know that competition in space is fierce and becoming increasingly bitter. And not just in commercial terms. This affects our entire security,” Rutte stated.
As global tensions in space intensify, NATO’s warnings underscore the critical need for vigilance and collaboration to safeguard vital satellite infrastructure and prevent the militarization of outer space.
