The Kremlin has condemned Washington’s decision to deploy a weapons system in orbit, warning that the move represents another step towards the militarisation of space and risks taking global security in a dangerous direction.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow’s position remains that outer space should be kept free of weaponry, following confirmation from US Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink that the Space Force now possesses operational “on-orbit space control weapons.”
Meink revealed the capability during remarks on Monday, saying the systems were designed to protect US and allied forces against hostile action. He offered few technical details, although media reports have suggested the weapons could be intended to interfere with or destroy adversary satellites.
Responding on Tuesday, Peskov called for renewed international cooperation aimed at preventing an arms race beyond Earth.
“We believe that space should be free from any weapons,” he told reporters, adding that Russia hoped countries would continue working towards the complete demilitarisation of space.
The US military has relied on satellites for decades for surveillance, communications, navigation and other defence functions. However, the prospect of placing offensive weapons in orbit has long generated concern about transforming space into another battlefield.
During the Cold War, Soviet military planners even regarded the American Space Shuttle programme with suspicion, fearing the spacecraft could potentially be adapted for strategic military missions.
Russia and China, both regarded by Washington as major strategic competitors, are also believed to possess or be developing anti-satellite capabilities capable of threatening America’s extensive satellite network during a major conflict.
Any large-scale destruction of satellites could carry consequences far beyond the countries involved. Scientists have warned of the potential “Kessler effect,” in which collisions create clouds of orbital debris that trigger further impacts, potentially rendering heavily used regions of Earth orbit hazardous or unusable.
Moscow has repeatedly pushed for stronger international restrictions on weapons in space. The existing Outer Space Treaty prohibits placing nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in orbit, but Russia has argued that the prohibition should be extended to conventional space-based weaponry.
The issue is not confined to the US and Russia. In June, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced that Israel was developing a space-based anti-satellite laser capability, declaring an ambition for the country to become a global leader in the technology.
With several military powers now pursuing increasingly sophisticated counter-space capabilities, the Kremlin argues that Washington’s latest disclosure risks accelerating precisely the orbital arms race Moscow says the international community should be trying to prevent.
