Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday February 20 that Moscow was
“categorically opposed”
to the deployment of nuclear weapons in space, after Washington accused Russia of developing such an anti-satellite weapon.
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“We have always been categorically opposed to the deployment of nuclear weapons in space and we continue to be
,” declared Vladimir Putin during a meeting with his Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, broadcast on television.
“Not only do we call for compliance with all existing agreements in this area, but we have also repeatedly proposed strengthening this joint work
,” added the Russian president, referring to the 1967 Space Treaty, whose United States and Russia are parties that prohibit the deployment of nuclear weapons in space.
“Malicious” information
The White House indicated in mid-February that Russia was developing an anti-satellite nuclear weapon, considering that it was a
“worrying”
element but which did not represent an imminent threat.
Moscow denounced last week “malicious”
and
“baseless”
information
, seeing it as a maneuver by the American executive to force through an aid package for Ukraine, blocked for months in Congress.
But this is the first time that Vladimir Putin has spoken on the subject.
The Minister of Defense said in front of Vladimir Putin, according to television images, that Russia
“does not have”
this type of weaponry and that the United States
“knows that we do not have any”
.
“As for space, well we only do in space what other countries do there, including the United States
,” concluded Vladimir Putin.