Konstantin Vorontsov, deputy director of the Russian foreign ministry's department for non-proliferation and arms control, told the United Nations that the United States and its allies were trying to use space to enforce Western dominance.
"Quasi-civilian infrastructure may be a legitimate target for a retaliatory strike," Vorontsov told the United Nations First Committee, adding that the West's use of such satellites to support Ukraine was "provocative".
"We are talking about the involvement of components of civilian space infrastructure, including commercial, by the United States and its allies in armed conflicts," Vorontsov was quoted as saying at the United Nations.
Russia launched Sputnik 1, the first manmade satellite, in space back in 1957 and only 2 years later, put the first man in outer space. In 2021, Russia launched an anti-satellite missile to destroy one of its own satellites. And just like the US, it has a significant offensive space capability.
Meanwhile, spokeswoman Maria Zakharova argued that Washington should take an approach more like it did during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, when the Cold War superpowers stepped back from the brink of nuclear confrontation.
“The more the U.S. is drawn into supporting the Kyiv regime on the battlefield, the more they risk provoking a direct military confrontation between the biggest nuclear powers fraught with catastrophic consequences," Zakharova said.
Earlier in the day, President Putin accused the U.S. and its allies of trying to dictate their terms to other nations in a “dangerous and bloody" domination game.
How did the US respond?
Responding to the Russian threat, the White House said, any response on U.S. infrastructure will be met with a response
White House spokesman John Kirby, speaking to reporters, added that publicly available information shows Russians have been trying to pursue anti-satellite technologies.
(With inputs from agencies)
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