Russia will be forced to react if any country puts weapons into space. The reaction will be "adequate" - the country already has such developments.
This was stated by the Director General of Roscosmos in an interview with the Solovyov Live TV channel.
Russia has always steadfastly and consistently defended the position of not deploying any weapons in space. Well, let's just say that the probability that it may appear there depends on the balance of power. And, in principle, if any country risks using outer space as an arena for hostilities and puts some kind of weapon into space, then Russia, of course, will have to react to this in an adequate way. In principle, we will not go into details, but Russia has such developments. But we will never be the first to risk [using them] and - we have constantly stated this at various platforms and forums - that we are for peaceful space. And we are consistently moving within the framework of the international agreement signed back in 1967, where Article 4 states that outer space and planets, including the Moon, are subject only to peaceful use.
Borisov noted that since 2004, Russia has been advocating for an initiative not to use weapons in space. And Russia adheres to the position of not being the first to deploy weapons in space until it is reliably known that some other country has done so.
And, as far as I know, about 36 countries have already joined this initiative. We always use any international platforms and call for the development of a comprehensive, legally binding document that would exclude threats to spacecraft and objects in space in general, and the deployment of any weapons. Therefore, our policy in this regard is consistent, it is not subject to any changes, and I think that we will continue to advocate for the peaceful use of space.
Earlier in May 2024, the UN Security Council did not adopt Russia's draft resolution on preventing an arms race in outer space and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction there.
The resolution put forward by Russia, also known as the Treaty on Outer Space, envisaged the creation of multilateral agreements that are reliably verifiable and legally binding, which would permanently exclude the placement of weapons in space. The ban would include, in particular:
- the use of force in space, force from space towards Earth and from Earth towards objects in outer space;
- the placement in orbit around the Earth of any objects carrying nuclear weapons or other types of weapons of mass destruction;
- the location of weapons of mass destruction both on celestial bodies and in outer space in any other way.
For the initiative to be adopted, it had to be approved by nine out of fifteen countries, but in fact only seven votes were collected. Russia was supported by China, Algeria, Guyana, Ecuador, Mozambique and Sierra Leone. The United States, France, Great Britain, Japan, Slovenia, the Republic of Korea and Malta voted against. One country, Switzerland, abstained.
Later in September, the foreign ministers of Russia and Burkina Faso signed a joint statement on not being the first to deploy weapons in space. And in early October, it became known that Russia is beginning the rearmament and re-equipment of the Space Forces. More than 50 new generation systems and complexes are under development.
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