Months ago, the US warning spread quickly: the Russian government was apparently working on a nuclear anti-satellite weapons system. Russia dismissed the warning as a “malicious fabrication” and trick. The leadership in Moscow also sees a UN resolution against an arms race in space, introduced by the United States and Japan as ‘propaganda’. That is why a veto was filed against the draft on Wednesday.
The draft text called on all states to “actively contribute to the goal of the peaceful use of outer space and the prevention of an arms race in outer space and to refrain from taking measures contrary to this goal and the relevant provisions.”
“Do not place nuclear weapons in orbit”
The draft further emphasized the obligation of countries to comply with the Outer Space Treaty, which has been ratified by more than a hundred states, and to “not place in orbit around the Earth objects containing nuclear weapons or other types of weapons of mass destruction, in order to install such weapons ”. on celestial bodies or to install such weapons in space “A detonation of an atomic bomb or other weapon of mass destruction in space would have serious consequences for space activities and planet Earth,” the report said.
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said such an explosion could “destroy thousands of satellites operated by countries and companies around the world and wipe out vital communications, science, meteorology, agriculture, economics and national security services .”
US Ambassador: Russia is hiding something
Before Wednesday’s vote, Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya spoke of a “joke of a resolution” and a “cynical trick”. However, US Representative Robert Wood suggested that Russia may have something to hide.
In order to better respond to attacks on satellites, NATO had already decided in 2021 that attacks from or in space could in the future be treated as an alliance matter under Article 5 on collective defense – in the same way as attacks on the ground or in the air, at sea and/or cyberspace.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
