Pentagon says Russia launched space weapon into path of US satellite

Russia has launched a probable space weapon and deployed it in the same orbit as a U.S. government satellite, the Pentagon said.

“Russia has launched a satellite into low Earth orbit that we believe is likely an anti-space weapon capable of attacking other satellites in low Earth orbit,” Army Maj. Gen. Air Pat Ryder, Pentagon spokesperson, during a press briefing.

The Russian “anti-space weapon” launched on May 16 was deployed “in the same orbit as a U.S. government satellite,” he said.

Ryder added that Washington would continue to monitor the situation and was prepared to protect its interests.

“We have a responsibility to be prepared to protect and defend the space domain and provide continued, uninterrupted support to the Joint and Combined Force,” he said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment when asked about reports that Moscow had launched a space weapon.

“I cannot comment on this. We act in accordance with international law, do not violate anything and have repeatedly advocated a ban on all weapons in space,” he said during a briefing. regular press release in Moscow.

“Unfortunately, our initiatives have been rejected, including by the United States.”

Earlier Tuesday, Moscow accused the United States of seeking to militarize space after Washington joined other Security Council members in voting against a Russian resolution on nonproliferation at the United Nations.

“They have demonstrated once again that their real priorities in the field of outer space are not to keep space free of weapons of any kind, but to place weapons there and make it an arena military confrontation,” said the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry. Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

– Rival motions from the UN –

World powers have traded accusations over the militarization of space in recent months.

They have proposed rival resolutions on non-proliferation at the UN as part of this dispute.

Russia vetoed the US initiative last month, while Moscow's proposal failed after receiving just seven votes in favor, seven against and one abstention on Monday.

US envoy Robert Wood said the Russian proposal, which called on all countries to “take urgent action to forever prevent the placement of weapons in space”, was a diversion and accused Moscow of “diplomatic gaslighting “.

He said Russia's “probable” anti-space weapon was “presumably capable of attacking other satellites in low Earth orbit.”

“Russia has deployed this new anti-space weapon in the same orbit as a U.S. government satellite,” he said before Monday's vote.

“The Russian launch on May 16 follows earlier Russian satellite launches, likely anti-space systems into low Earth orbit in 2019 and 2022.”

In February, the White House said Russia was developing an anti-satellite weapon, the existence of which was confirmed after lawmakers warned of an unspecified but serious threat to national security.

Space is a rare area where the two countries have maintained some degree of cooperation despite a series of Western sanctions and disastrous relations following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The two countries mutually transport their crew members to and from the International Space Station (ISS), where their astronauts are jointly stationed.

The dispute over space weapons between Moscow and Washington resurrects the specter of militarization of space despite the 1967 Outer Space Treaty which prohibits countries from deploying “any object carrying nuclear or any other type of weapons”. weapons of mass destruction” in orbit or in space.

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