Final week, the White Home mentioned Moscow had achieved a “worrying” anti-satellite weapons functionality.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has acknowledged that Moscow has no intention of deploying nuclear weapons in area, claiming that the nation has solely developed area capabilities much like these of the USA.
Putin's assertion on Tuesday follows the White Home's assertion final week that Russia has obtained a “worrying” anti-satellite weapon functionality, though it’s not but operational.
White Home nationwide safety spokesman John Kirby mentioned it might violate the Outer Area Treaty, however declined to touch upon whether or not the weapon was nuclear-capable.
The treaty, signed by greater than 130 nations – together with Russia – prohibits the deployment of “nuclear weapons or another sort of weapons of mass destruction” in orbit or the stationing of “weapons in outer area in another approach” .
The White Home mentioned it might search to interact the Russians instantly on the issues.
“Our place is kind of clear and clear: now we have at all times been and stay categorically against the deployment of nuclear weapons in area,” Putin mentioned. “Quite the opposite, we urge everybody to stick to all of the agreements that exist on this sphere.”
He known as the accusations a part of an “outcry that has been raised within the West”.
Putin mentioned that Russia has “many occasions steered strengthening joint cooperation within the nation [space] sphere, however for some cause, within the West, this matter has not returned”.
Talking throughout a gathering along with his protection minister, Sergei Shoigu, Putin famous that Russia has solely developed area capabilities that “different nations, together with the USA, have.”
“And so they know,” he mentioned.
“We now have not deployed nuclear weapons in area or any components of them to make use of towards satellites or to create fields the place satellites can’t work effectively,” Shoigu mentioned.
Shoigu mentioned the White Home might have made the allegations of a brand new Russian area functionality to power Congress to assist support for Ukraine and likewise to encourage Moscow to re-enter nuclear arms management talks that the Russia suspended amid tensions with the USA over Ukraine.
Putin didn’t rule out potential future contacts with the USA, however he reaffirmed his opinion that Washington's push for Russia's defeat in Ukraine makes such a state of affairs unimaginable for now.
“The US and the West, for one factor, name for the strategic defeat of Russia, whereas, then again, they wish to have a dialogue about strategic stability, pretending that issues are usually not related,” he mentioned. “It doesn't work.”
