In Moscow, President Vladimir Putin announced on Tuesday that Russia opposed the deployment of nuclear weapons in space. Additionally, his defence minister Sergei Shoigu firmly denied U.S. claims that Russia was working on developing a nuclear capability for space. Last week, an unnamed source in the United States informed Reuters that Washington had obtained new intelligence pertaining to Russian nuclear capabilities and efforts to create a space-based weapon.
Putin emphasized Russia’s staunch opposition to the deployment of nuclear weapons in space and urged compliance with existing agreements in the area. He also offered to strengthen joint efforts in space, claiming that Russia’s activities in space were not different from those of other countries, including the United States.
According to U.S. sources, Russia allegedly possessed a new capability in space, but little detail was provided, and no evidence was presented. The New York Times reported that U.S. intelligence indicated Russia’s attempts to develop a space-based anti-satellite nuclear weapon.
Shoigu refuted the allegation, stating that there were no plans for nuclear weapons in space as outlined by the anonymous U.S. sources. He accused the White House of attempting to intimidate U.S. lawmakers into allocating more funds for Ukraine in order to strategically defeat Russia. Another reason he cited for the leaked information about the alleged Russian weapon was to prompt Russia to engage in a dialogue about strategic stability.
Putin asserted that Russia had never opposed discussions about strategic stability. Both Putin and Shoigu emphasized Russia’s stance against the development and deployment of nuclear weapons in space.
The comments by Putin and Shoigu were made in response to the U.S. claims and follow-up reports by various media outlets, including The New York Times. The situation reflects the ongoing tensions and accusations between the United States and Russia.
Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Andrew Osborn
