Vladimir Putin has broken his silence on claims made by the US about Russia launching nuclear weapons in space, with his Defence Minister also taking a wild swipe at Washington.
The statement was made during a televised meeting with Sergei Shoigu.
Putin, in clear terms, emphasized the importance of adhering to international agreements on space weaponry and reiterated Russia’s willingness to collaborate on strengthening such agreements.
He stated during the meeting: “Our position is clear and transparent. We have always been categorically against the deployment of nuclear weapons in space and we are still against it.”
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu echoed Putin’s sentiments, directly refuting claims of Russia possessing nuclear weapons in space and accusing the US of attempting to create unnecessary alarm.
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While US officials have downplayed immediate threats to public safety, military experts have long warned about the potential militarization of space.
Russia, along with China, has been steadily advancing its military capabilities in space, raising concerns about the future of space warfare.
Despite being signatories of the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, which prohibits the deployment of nuclear weapons in space, experts are concerned about the treaty’s effectiveness in the current geopolitical climate, particularly given Russia’s track record of disregarding treaty obligations.
The treaty, while prohibiting nuclear weapons in space, does not guarantee safety from other forms of space weaponry.
