The United States aired their concerns Tuesday, saying that Russia was behaving in a militaristic way while exploring space. The US cited a mobile laser system installed by the Russians in space that will reportedly "destroy satellites" as well as the suspicious behavior of an inspector satellite.
These suspicions were brought to light by Yleem D.S. Poblete, US Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, Verification, and Compliance to the UN Conference on Disarmament. Russia, Reuters points out, countered these allegations. Russia explained that the accusations hurled by the assistant secretary were uncalled for and basically "slanderous."
Talking to the Geneva forum in February, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made explanations clear, saying that the purpose was actually to "prevent" countries from waging war with each other in space. The aim was to honor an existing treaty Russia had with China for that very purpose. Poblete pointed out that it is definitely puzzling, considering Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed that Russia had new "weapons systems" which included the satellite destroyer, the Peresvet military mobile laser.
In line with this, the US seems to be preparing a new branch of the military aimed at space defense. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis unveiled the US Space Force days after Vice President Mike Pence hinted at a new, separate US military service aimed at military combat and defense, which were to enter service by 2020. The US Space Force was created to ensure US domination of space, Military Times reports.
Pressed for reasons for the space force, he cited China as an example. In 2007, China used a ground-based missile to dispose of old, non-essential weather satellites. To the US, he said, this was a clear example of China's capability to shoot targets in space. When asked what how the country would respond to a direct satellite attack, however, he cited ambiguity and declined to explain further.
Now, it appears that the US is prepared to meet such actions with force, if necessary. Russia's alleged malicious actions with the introduction of the satellite weapon as well as the "inspector" in space is a clear indication, Poblete said, of Russia's duplicity in talks.
China, for its part, called for peaceful and diplomatic negotiations. China's own disarmament ambassador Fu Cong stated that China remains committed to peaceful use of outer space and that the country's position on the weaponization of outer space is to resist it.
