The Biden administration has directly warned Russia not to deploy a new nuclear-armed antisatellite weapon into space, reports The Wall Street Journal.
The report comes hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin took a co-pilot's seat in a nuclear-capable strategic bomber on a flight that appeared intended to send a reminder of Russia's nuclear might amid soaring tensions with the West over the fighting in Ukraine.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week raised concerns about developments in Russia's nuclear capability following a cryptic public warning by Rep. Michael Turner, R-Ohio, Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, that the U.S. had new intelligence about a "serious national security threat."
The weapon Russia is trying to develop would destroy satellites by creating a massive energy wave when detonated, according to intelligence collected by U.S. spy agencies.
But U.S. officials have low confidence on whether Russia is ready to launch such a weapon, according to the New York Times.
Putin, meanwhile, said Moscow was "categorically against" placing nuclear weapons in space and dismissed the accusations.
"Our position is quite clear and transparent: we have always been and remain categorically opposed to the deployment of nuclear weapons in space," Putin said. "Just the opposite, we are urging everyone to adhere to all the agreements that exist in this sphere."
He called the accusations part of a "clamor being raised in the West."
Putin said Russia has "many times suggested to strengthen joint cooperation in the [space] sphere but for some reason, in the West, this topic has not come up again."
Speaking during a meeting with his defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, Putin added that Moscow has only developed space capabilities that "other nations, including the U.S., have.
"And they know it."
Shoigu said the same.
"We haven't deployed any nuclear weapons in space or any elements of them to use against satellites or to create fields where satellites can't work efficiently," he said.
The Journal reported that national security adviser Jake Sullivan communicated with Yuri Ushakov, a foreign-policy adviser to Putin, about deploying the weapon and said CIA Director William Burns also reached out last week to Sergei Naryshkin, the director of Russia's foreign intelligence service.