(RepublicanPress.org) – Russia has been doing its best to provoke a response from Western allies since it staged a land, air, and sea attack on Ukraine in February 2022. The United States Space Command recently announced that it confirmed the Russian military launched a weapon into space capable of attacking satellites
On May 20, US Ambassador Robert Wood told the UN that Russia appeared to have launched a counter-space weapon into space that is capable of attacking a nearby US government satellite on May 16. Wood said the last time Russia made such a launch was in 2022. He said the launch was made into low Earth orbit. Pentagon spokesperson Major General Pat Ryder said the next day that the payload resembles other counterspace devices deployed by Russia in previous years.
Wood called the development “troubling.” However, so far, it doesn’t appear that the COSMOS 2576 Russian satellite has approached the US satellite. While it currently seems to be trailing USA 314’s orbit, the COSMOS is moving faster in the same orbit. Analyst Bart Hendrickx said the device was a “mix of military and civilian payloads,” adding that it was “unexpected” and something totally new from the Russians.
A Russian diplomat from the country’s top arms control denied the allegations that Russia launched such a satellite into low-Earth orbit that could inspect and attack other satellites in space. The source called the story “fake news.”
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said the US “can say whatever they want,” stating that Russia is against deploying “strike weapons in low-Earth orbit.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said his country was not “violating” international law but wouldn’t specifically comment about America’s satellite accusation.
Last month, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the US believes Russia is working on a satellite capable of “carrying a nuclear device.” Russian President Vladimir Putin also denied that allegation.
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