Russia said on Tuesday it had conducted a weapons test that targeted an old Russian satellite with 'razor-sharp precision' and denied allegations by the United States, Britain and NATO that the test had been dangerous for orbiting spacecraft.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the test was reckless, posed a threat to the ISS and an orbiting Chinese spacecraft, and showed Russia was developing new weapons systems. A British government spokesperson condemned the test and urged Moscow to join discussions at the United Nations on "responsible behaviour when it comes to space."
"We did indeed successfully test a promising system. It hit the old satellite with razor-sharp precision. The fragments that formed pose no threat to space activity," Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu was quoted as saying by the RIA news agency. The Defence Ministry said Russia was forced to beef up its defence capabilities because of weapons tests by the United States and Washington establishing a space force in 2020.
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