UK Space Command Says Russia's Anti-Satellite Weapon Test Threatens Peaceful Use Of Space

LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th November, 2021) The head of the UK Space Command, Air Vice-Marshal Paul Godfrey, on Tuesday criticized Russia's tests of an anti-satellite system, saying such actions allegedly undermine the peaceful use of space.

Earlier in the day, the Russian Defense Ministry announced having conducted a successful test of the anti-satellite system on Monday, hitting an inoperative Russian satellite, Tselina-D. According to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, the fragments of the old satellite formed during the test do not pose any threat to space activities.

"Space is already a congested and contested domain, and irresponsible actions like this threaten the peaceful use of space by all," Godfrey said in a statement.

In December 2020, the US Space Command announced that Russia had conducted a test of a rocket aimed at destroying satellites. After that, tests of the Russian anti-satellite missile were reported in April. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said at the time that Washington was trying to justify its own plans to deploy weapons in space this way.