A Russian spacecraft that the US believes is capable of destroying other satellites in orbit is reported to spinning out of control, according to reports from American analysts. Cosmos 2553 was launched only weeks before Vladimir Putin launched his 2022 invasion of Ukraine and military officials at the time feared it could be used to attack other craft in space.

Ukraine has had significant help in the war effort against Russia, thanks to Elon Musk's formidable Starlink internet system which is widely used by the military for combat operations. When the Cosmos craft was launched, Washington was concerned it might be part of a secretive Kremlin nuclear programme aiming at knocking out enemy satellites.

According to Reuters, the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies said data from space-tracking firm LeoLabs show Cosmos 2553 was no longer under control.

A spokesperson for the think tank said: “This observation strongly suggests the satellite is no longer operational."

Another space monitoring company, Slingshot, which has been tracking the spacecraft since its launch on February 5, 2022, said new movements appeared to show a problem. They said: “Slingshot noted that the object’s brightness became variable, indicating a potential tumble."

According to the Mirror, the Russian satellite is seen as a precursor to a weapon capable of a nuclear blast wiping out both military and civilian satellites supporting activities from financial transactions to weather forecasting.

It could be deployed to Russia’s massive advantage in the event of a new world war breaking out. The Russian defence ministry has refused to comment on the “stricken” satellite some 1,250 miles above Earth.

The out-of-control satellite is reported to have a radar function for Russian military intelligence and to have radiation testing capabilities.

While not itself a weapon, it is linked to Russia's development of a nuclear anti-satellite weapon. Moscow has denied it is developing such a weapon and claimed Cosmos 2553 is for research purposes.

One theory is that Cosmos 2553’s role is to test components of a weapon that will carry a nuclear device. It is feared to be equipped with “onboard instruments and systems under development for their testing under conditions of exposure to radiation and heavy charged particles.”

Russia placed the satellite into orbit with a blast off from a Soyuz-2 rocket in February 2022, just days before Putin invaded Ukraine.