Russia denies US claim that Moscow deployed anti-satellite weapon in space

Russia's top arms control diplomat on Wednesday (May 22) dismissed the United States’ assertions that Russia had launched a weapon into Earth orbit that was capable of inspecting and attacking other satellites.

The Kremlin has denied claims by US officials that Moscow is developing a space-based anti-satellite nuclear weapon. On Tuesday, US Space Command said Russia had launched an anti-satellite weapon.

The United States noted the launch of a Soyuz rocket earlier this month from Russia's Plesetsk launch site.

On May 17, Russia's defence ministry confirmed the launch carried a spacecraft but did not provide details about its purpose.

US Space Command said the launch was a likely a counterspace weapon capable of attacking other satellites in low Earth orbit.

According to the Interfax news agency, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was quoted as saying, "I don't think we should respond to any fake news from Washington.”

"The Americans can say whatever they want but our policy does not change from this," said Ryabkov, adding that Moscow had "always consistently opposed the deployment of strike weapons in low-Earth orbit."

Earlier, in February, President Vladimir Putin and then defence minister, Sergei Shoigu,had denied US claims that Russia was working on a space-based anti-satellite nuclear weapon designed to disrupt everything from military communications to phone-based ride services.

While the US Space Command said the May launch included COSMOS 2576, a type of Russian military "inspector" spacecraft that US officials have long said exhibits reckless space behaviour.

According to a US official familiar with the intelligence, US intelligence agencies had anticipated the launch of COSMOS 2576 and informed allies of their assessment before the satellite was deployed. The launch also included civilian satellites placed into different orbits.

As of Tuesday, COSMOS 2576 has not approached any US satellites, but space analysts have observed it in the same orbital ring as USA 314, a bus-sized NRO satellite launched in April 2021.

However, Ryabkov said that Russia's space programme was developing as planned, including tasks aimed at strengthening defence capability.

He said the US was wrong to have dismissed Russian proposals on strengthening the security of space activities.

(With inputs from agencies)