Moscow has dismissed as mere “malicious fabrication” a warning by Washington about Russia’s newly-achieved capabilities in space.
Such tricks, the Kremlin said Thursday, are played by the White House only to urge lawmakers to approve more money to counter Russia.
The White House has told Congress and its European allies about new intelligence related to what it called Russian nuclear capabilities in space of posing an international threat.
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner warned of a mysterious “serious national security threat,” calling on US President Joe Biden to “declassify all information.”
It is not clear what the so-called threat entails.
The alleged threat has not been specified by any official yet, but several outlets have already reported that it involves Russia. Citing two unnamed sources, ABC News claimed the threat involves Russia hoping to use a nuclear weapon in space, not to hit targets on the Earth but potentially to target satellites.
Biden’s national security chief was to brief top lawmakers Thursday. White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan would hold a closed-doors meeting with congressional leaders, as US media said Russia was developing a weapon that could knock out Western satellites.
Earlier Thursday, the Kremlin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he would not comment on the claims in the reports until the White House gives details on the matter. This is a political ruse orchestrated by the White House to pressure Congress into releasing funds for Ukraine, the Russian official said.
“It is obvious that the White House is trying, by hook or by crook, to encourage Congress to vote on a bill to allocate money, this is obvious,” he told reporters. “We’ll see what tricks the White House will use.”
Separately, TASS quoted Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, Moscow’s point man on arms control, as saying that these claims are only “malicious fabrication.”
Republican lawmakers at US Congress oppose giving more funds to Ukraine to counter Russia, despite Kiev’s yearning for more money.
Russia has repeatedly warned that a continued supply of Western arms and military equipment for the Ukrainian military would only prolong the war.
