#Politics Breaking from #CNN: House Intelligence Committee chair has made available to all members of Congress evidence of a "serious national security threat." Sources say it involves #Russia. (1/2)

https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/14/politics/house-intel-chairman-serious-national-security-threat/index.html

#Politics #CNN Just my speculation, the "serious national security threat" might be the combat operational use of a hypersonic missile by #Russia against #Ukraine earlier this month. (2/2)

https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/13/europe/ukraine-russia-zircon-hypersonic-missile-intl-hnk-ml/index.html

#Politics There's speculation on X that the "threat" may be that #Russia is planning to deploy nuclear weapons in orbit.

That would be a violation of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, Article IV.

"States Parties to the Treaty undertake not to place in orbit around the earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction, install such weapons on celestial bodies, or station such weapons in outer space in any other manner." (1/x)

https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/spacelaw/treaties/outerspacetreaty.html

#Politics I can't stress how incredibly destabilizing that would be. As far as we know, no nation has done that -- not us, not China, and certainly not #Russia.

Every spacefaring nation abides by the Outer Space Treaty. To violate it in such a blatant manner would make Russia an international pariah in the space community. I think it would end the #ISS partnership, and it might cause China to rethink their space alliance with Russia.

I still think it's the hypersonic missile. We'll see. (2/2)

@WordsmithFL
And a hypersonic missile would still be a weapon of mass destruction and against the treaty.