In a recent development in the ongoing space race, Russian President Vladimir Putin denied allegations of deploying nuclear weapons in space, following a New York Times report last week. The report claimed that Russia had developed nuclear capabilities for use in space, leading US officials to call for the declassification of information about a “serious national security threat.”
While the report suggested Russian efforts to create a space-based anti-satellite nuclear weapon, it clarified that the weapon was not active and would not target humans, labeling it a “serious but not an immediate threat.”
President Putin, addressing Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, refuted the claims, stating that Russia had not deployed nuclear-capable weapons in space and had no intention to do so. He emphasized Russia’s consistent opposition to the deployment of nuclear weapons in space, urging compliance with existing agreements and proposing strengthened joint efforts in the area.
Shoigu dismissed the allegations, attributing them to a strategy aimed at pressuring US lawmakers into providing more aid for Ukraine. He suggested that the leaked information about the alleged Russian weapon served the dual purpose of influencing Russia into a dialogue about strategic stability.
The deployment of nuclear weapons in space is prohibited by the Outer Space Treaty, signed by the US, Soviet Union, and the UK. Despite tensions, Putin did not rule out talks with the United States at the defense and foreign ministry levels on strategic stability. The confrontation between the US and Russia has roots in Moscow’s special military operation initiated in February 2022.
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