Russia's Foreign Minister told national leaders attending the General Assembly today that it is time to establish a global agreement outlawing the deployment of weapons in space, warning they endanger the existence of all States.
President Vladimir Putin criticized U.S. plans for space-based weapons, saying it was the reason behind a recent Chinese anti-satellite weapons test.
China and Russia are developing space weapons and are among several nations working on systems to threaten U.S. satellites with lasers or missiles, says the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency.
In response to the recently updated U.S. National Space Policy, the Chinese and Russian governments have issued broad threats intended to dissuade the United States from actually deploying -- as opposed to researching -- weapons in space.
President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Russia was concerned about foreign nations planning to deploy weapons in space and developing armaments he called destabilizing.
Alexei Arbatov and Gen. Vladimir Dvorkin of the Carnegie Moscow Center gave a presentation and answered questions on the current state of Russian civilian and military space programs and how Russia's space policies are related to its security concerns, including nuclear deterrence.
The United States has promised to make public in the next few months its new space doctrine, which allows for the deployment of weapons in outer space.
A Russian company is using anti-satellite weapons technology developed by the Soviet Union to launch microsatellites using a MiG 31. The Soviet Union developed the ability to launch an anti-satellite missile from a fighter jet in response to U.S. tests with an F-15 in 1985.
The Russian Minister for Defence, Sergei Ivanov, has threatened retaliatory steps if any country deploys weapons in space. In an apparent reaction to the US plans, Mr Ivanov said "Russia's position on this question has not changed for decades: we are categorically against the militarisation of space."
Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed his support for the demilitarization of space but added that Russia must be ready to counter others' moves to the contrary. His remarks come in response to recent discussion of the proposed U.S. Near Field Infrared Experiment (NFIRE) satellite which would have anti-satellite capabilities.