MOSCOW, Feb. 24 The United States did not present any evidence, accusing Russia of allegedly planning to deploy nuclear weapons in space, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergei Ryabkov told reporters.
«The Americans are using the topic for propaganda purposes, they make accusations that are not based on anything, not supported by the slightest evidence, this is their usual manner. Sensible representatives of the international community have long understood this and they simply cannot take American accusations of this nature seriously come up,» Ryabkov said.
He noted that, in general, the appearance of nuclear weapons in space is inappropriate.
«This environment is not suitable for the deployment of such weapons. The existing systems for their (nuclear weapons — ed.) delivery in countries included in the nuclear «five» in most cases include a triad — ground, sea and air-based. Not for all, but, in any case, for most countries of the nuclear “five” this is exactly the case. And (this) is quite enough,” he concluded.
Earlier, the ABC television channel, citing sources, reported that US legislators could have been told at a secret briefing about the Russian Federation’s alleged plans to “place nuclear weapons in space” for use against satellites. Press Secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov stated that the White House, by announcing a closed briefing on a “serious threat to national security,” is trying to encourage the US Congress to vote for a bill to allocate money to Ukraine.
Moscow has previously repeatedly pointed out that Russia, together with other countries, in particular the PRC, stands for preventing an arms race in space and preserving it for peaceful purposes. The Russian Foreign Ministry noted earlier that the United States and its allies are taking steps to implement the installation of weapons in space and the use of outer space for combat operations not only for defensive purposes, they do not stop trying to position space as a new arena of rivalry and conflicts between states, as the main opponents are Russia and China.