Kremlin: Russian Space Nukes Story Is Propaganda For Ukraine

A spokesman for Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that the U.S. government was behind the Russian space weapon story that captivated media outlets last week, calling the narrative a “malicious fabrication” designed to bolster support for President Joe Biden’s Ukraine aid bill in Congress.

According to Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the flurry of media speculation over the week about Russian nuclear weapons following warnings from Congress to the White House was a trick by lawmakers to get Biden’s Ukraine aid bill passed.

“It’s obvious that Washington is trying to force Congress to vote on the aid bill by hook or by crook,” Peskov said.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) warned on Wednesday morning of a “serious national security threat” and announced he had asked the Biden administration to declassify it so there could be an open discussion about the policy response.

“I am requesting that President Biden declassify all information relating to this threat so that Congress, the Administration, and our allies can openly discuss the actions necessary to respond to this threat,” Turner wrote in a note sent to other members of Congress.

Meanwhile, a source told Fox News the national security threat is one “concerning Russian capability” from space with nuclear weapons and warned the “potential seriousness of the threat is grave.”

Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) urged calm: “We are going to work together to address this matter as we do all sensitive matters that are classified. And beyond that, I’m not at liberty to disclose classified information … but we just want to assure everyone, steady hands are at the wheel, we’re working on it. There’s no need for alarm.”

According to the latest report, the Russian space-based nuclear capability U.S. intelligence is concerned about is “more likely a nuclear-powered device to blind, jam or fry the electronics inside satellites than an explosive nuclear warhead to shoot them down.”

“That Russia is developing a system powered by a nuclear source … that has electronic warfare capabilities once in orbit is more likely than the theory that Russia is developing a weapon that carries a nuclear explosive warhead,” said Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association.