U.S. intelligence on a "serious threat to national security" relates to Russia's desire to "put a nuclear weapon into space," ABC News reported on Feb. 14, citing two unnamed sources familiar with the discussions.
The reports came after Mike Turner, the chair of the U.S. House of Representatives intelligence committee, informed all Congress members about a "threat" related to "destabilizing foreign military capability."
According to ABC News, Russia may want to use a nuclear weapon against satellites rather than drop it on the Earth. One of the media's sources called such reports "a big deal," which is "very concerning and very sensitive."
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the report.
Many members of Congress described the issue "as serious without stoking public alarm," without mentioning the subject directly, ABC News reported.
U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said at a press briefing that he had scheduled a classified meeting with congressional leadership. He refused to say whether the "threat" would be discussed there and did not disclose other details, saying, "Americans understand that there is a range of threats in the worlds we are dealing with daily."
According to CNN, President Joe Biden's administration voiced frustration with Turner's decision to go public with the warnings before a planned meeting between security officials and leading lawmakers on Feb. 15.