Russian possible orbital nuclear warheads are real threats. If they exist.

Above: R-36 (SS-18)

The Soviet Union planned to launch nuclear weapons into an orbital trajectory in the 1960's. That allows the Soviets to create the system. That can give an extremely fast strike capacity. At that time the systems were primitive, and the launching plan happened from the ground station. Modern technology like AI makes it possible to create more deadly spaceborne nukes than in the 1960's. 

Officially. The program was terminated. Because. Of the nuclear test ban treaty that banned nuclear weapons from space. However, there were suspicions that the Soviets continued that program in secrecy. The big launching systems like R-36 SS-18 "Satan" (also known as F-1, SS-9 "Scarp") and its successor RS-28 "Sarmat" could easily transport one warhead to the orbital trajectory. 

Above: The Chinese shuttle below H-8 bomber 2012. 

The SS-18 can carry one 800 kg "Avangard" hypersonic glide vehicle, HGV to an orbital parking trajectory to wait for the order to attack. The "Scarp" was equipped with the 20 mt thermonuclear weapon. And the same rocket launched many Soviet and Russian satellites. 

The name of the program was Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, FOBS. The system was a satellite equipped with a nuclear bomb that launched into the orbital trajectory. The ground station would detonate that bomb. 

"A Fractional Orbital Bombardment System (FOBS) is a warhead delivery system that uses a low Earth orbit towards its target destination. Just before reaching the target, it deorbits through a retrograde engine burn."

(Wikipedia, Fractional Orbital Bombardment System)

"Fractional Orbital Bombardment System compared to a traditional ICBM" (Wikipedia, Fractional Orbital Bombardment System)

"The Soviet Union first developed FOBS as a nuclear weapons delivery system in the 1960s. It was one of the first Soviet efforts to use space to deliver nuclear weapons. In August 2021, the People's Republic of China tested a weapon that combined a FOBS with a hypersonic glide vehicle." (Wikipedia, Fractional Orbital Bombardment System)

Wikipedia says that the FOBS uses the low-orbital trajectory. The fact is that the FOBS can wait even at the stationary trajectory. There the nuclear weapon waits in order to attack. When it gets that order the weapon travels to a lower altitude for attack. If the weapon is parked just over the target the warning time will be very short if it starts to attack. The Chinese tested the FOBS technology, suitable for hypersonic gliders. And that means the system can use the mini-shuttles to carry its nuclear warhead. 

Above: Chinese mini-shuttle. 

There are two ways to make the FOBS systems. The first one would be the system that would orbit the Earth. And then suddenly detonate in the near-space. That detonation makes a powerful electromagnetic pulse, EMP. That destroys the electronics. The USA tested the EMP weapon on July 9, 1962, in a nuclear test called "Dominic Starfish Prime". 

The 1,4 mt. The thermonuclear weapon detonated over Honolulu in the 400 km. over the ground. The distance from Hawaii to the detonation was over 1400 kilometers. And the electromagnetic shock destroyed a large number of electronics, including 300 street lights. In the 1960's electronics were less harmful against the EMP and that tells what happens if the 1-20 mt thermonuclear warhead detonates over the USA.

The Soviet Bor-4 Mini shuttle Australian Coast in 1984 

The EMP impulse purpose in nuclear scenarios is to put the enemy's defense to the knee. And those impulses can also drop fighters and bombers. Along with civilian aircraft. The EMP pulse can also destroy multiple satellites and make the trajectory useless for years. The plasma would cause problems for satellites even years. The Russians can also use larger 50 mt thermonuclear devices to destroy all electronics from another side. Another thing is that the FOBS can drop nuclear bombs on cities. 

Above: The MiG-105 "Spiral". 

The satellite that carries nuclear weapons must not open as it does in the Bond movie "Goldeneye". The EMP FOBS weapon can be masked in the spy satellite. Today things like miniature shuttles make the FOBS an even bigger threat than before. The MiG-105 "Spiral" and X-37B make it possible to transport nuclear weapons to space. The system can be the hydrogen bomb that is in the shuttle's cargo bay. 

When those systems get their order to attack. Those shuttles can make the kamikaze attack against the target. Or if the system doesn't need to be used, the shuttle can bring those warheads back. So those miniature shuttles can act as space cruise missiles. The FOBS system requires big booster rockets. The SS-18 (F-1) systems and other big space rockets can carry FOBS weapons to orbital trajectory. 

The FOBS warhead is not necessarily large. The nuclear grenades can act as spaceborne weapons as well as bigger weapons. If those systems are installed in satellites, there is the possibility that defense systems cannot react to those threats. 

https://orbitaltoday.com/2024/11/18/china-unveils-haolong-a-reusable-cargo-shuttle-for-tiangong-space-station/

https://www.space.com/18410-china-space-plane-project-mystery.html

https://futurism.com/the-byte/russian-space-nuke-revelations

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avangard_(hypersonic_glide_vehicle)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_X-37

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fractional_Orbital_Bombardment_System

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-105

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R-36_(missile)#R-36M_(SS-18)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RS-28_Sarmat

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfish_Prime