US officially confirms deployment of weapons in space for the first time
The United States has officially acknowledged the deployment of weapons in outer space for the first time. The foreign ministries of Russia and China criticized Washington's actions and urged to prevent an arms race in orbit.
Abdulrahman Sadikhli2 min read
The United States of America has for the first time officially confirmed the deployment of weapons in outer space. The statement was made by US Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink. However, the department head did not specify the exact types of weapons involved.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to the Pentagon's statement. The ministry stressed that Washington is demonstrating a readiness to 'completely ignore the catastrophic consequences that any armed conflict in orbit would have.'
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that US international initiatives on space security serve merely as a distraction from their own aggressive ambitions. She noted that Washington's speculation about Russia's alleged intent to develop anti-satellite nuclear weapons serves as a cover for implementing US hegemonistic plans.
The Russian diplomatic agency stated the need to create a legally binding instrument to prevent an arms race in space, including a direct ban on placing any weapons there. To implement this initiative, Russia will submit draft resolutions for consideration by the UN General Assembly First Committee.
China's Foreign Ministry also commented on Washington's actions. The PRC foreign ministry urged the United States to stop building up weapons in outer space and emphasized that Beijing is categorically opposed to turning space into a battlefield.
The existing 1967 Outer Space Treaty prohibits placing weapons of mass destruction in Earth orbit or outer space. However, the document does not directly address other types of conventional weapons.
Source: ru.sputnik.kz
