On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Moscow does not plan to place nuclear weapons in space, asserting that the country has only created space capabilities comparable to those of the US.
Putin’s statement comes after the recent confirmation from the White House that Russia has acquired an anti-satellite weapon capability, which is concerning, even though it is not currently operational.
According to White House national security spokesman John Kirby, the use of such a weapon would breach the international Outer Space Treaty. However, he refrained from discussing its nuclear capabilities.
Over 130 countries, including Russia, have signed a treaty that bans the placement of nuclear weapons or any other weapons of mass destruction in space. The White House indicated it would seek to communicate with the Russians directly regarding the concerns.
Putin Denies Space Weapon Deployment, Challenges White House Claims
“Our stance is crystal clear and open: we have consistently and firmly opposed the placement of nuclear weapons in space,” Putin stated. “On the contrary, we strongly encourage everyone to comply with all the agreements in this field.”
During a meeting with his defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, Putin mentioned that Russia has only developed space capabilities that are also possessed by other nations, including the US “And they are well aware of it,” he added.
“We have not launched any nuclear weapons into space or any components of them to target satellites or disrupt satellite operations,” Shoigu stated.
Shoigu suggested that the White House may have made the claims about a new Russian space capability to pressure Congress into supporting aid for Ukraine and to prompt Moscow to resume nuclear arms control discussions that Russia had put on hold due to tensions with the US over Ukraine.
Putin mentioned the possibility of future contacts with the US, but emphasized that Washington’s actions in Ukraine currently prevent them.