NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is warning allies that Russia is looking to deploy nuclear weapons in space in a move that could potentially threaten all global security and communication.

Speaking to German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, Rutte said NATO is deeply concerned that a nuclear device exploded in space could destroy hundreds of satellites the modern world depends on for instant communication.

"We are aware of reports that Russia is examining the possibility of placing nuclear weapons in space," Rutte said. "The development of nuclear weapons in space is a way for Russia to improve its capabilities. This is very worrying."

There are currently more than 7,000 satellites circling the planet, and the world depends on them for everything from mobile phones to banking services and weather forecasting.

"A space-based system directly effects our way of life," Rutte said.

Last May, John Plumb, then-assistant secretary of defense for space policy, warned U.S. lawmakers that Russia was building an "indiscriminate" nuclear weapon to be used in space.

"The concept that we are concerned about is Russia developing, if we are unable to convince them otherwise, to ultimately fly a nuclear weapon in space, which would be an indiscriminate weapon," Plumb said during a House Armed Services Committee.

Plumb said detonating a nuclear device in space would affect commercial, civil, and military communications to such a degree it would amount to "an attack on the world." He did not describe the threat as imminent, but offered enough of a warning to put policymakers on notice.

"Space is also very important for our deterrence and defense — just as important as land, sea, air and cyberspace," Rutte told the outlet.

"In recent years, space has become increasingly crowded, dangerous, and unpredictable. We know that competition in space is fierce," he said.

"NATO allies are adapting to the challenges in space, including sharing intelligence and establishing national space command centers, but also developing smaller satellites that are more maneuverable and better protected."

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