A new Russian threat to US national security, publicly flagged on Wednesday by a US congressman, is not an “active capability”, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken clarified on Thursday after US media also reported on the new threat, describing it as an anti-satellite space-based nuclear weapon developed or is being developed in Russia, Reuters reports.

US President Joe Biden’s administration has briefed Congress and allies in Europe on new information about Russia’s nuclear capabilities that could pose a security threat, a source told Reuters, according to Agerpres.

The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Republican Michael Turner, asked President Biden on Wednesday to declassify information about a new threat to the security of the United States so that political leaders and allies of Washington can openly discuss the topic.

The congressman did not say what the threat he was talking about would be, but some American media outlets, including the New York Times, ABC and Fox News, are reporting on the placement of Russian nuclear weapons in space that could be used as anti-satellite weapons.

• “Moscow wants to take nuclear weapons into space” – ABC / US official declares “serious threat to national security” attributed to Russia

The United States does not have the ability to counter anti-satellite nuclear weapons, but this is neither an immediate threat nor cause for panic because, at least to date, Russia has not put such a weapon into orbit,” US officials explained. US media. Sources cited by the New York Times say that new Russian military capabilities of this kind are currently under development.

Russia has neither confirmed nor denied it has or is developing anti-satellite nuclear weapons, but believes the issue is now a ploy by Washington to get Congress to approve more than $60 billion in aid requested by President Joe Biden for Ukraine and blocked by the opposition some Republican congressmen.