US developing combat spacecraft to disable Russian satellites: Moscow

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The United States is developing small combat spacecraft which are capable of disabling Russian satellites and whose deployment can be disguised under the launch of OneWeb or Starlink spacecraft, Russian Military Space academy chief Maj. Gen. Anatoly Nestechuk revealed on Thursday.

"At the present stage, they (the US) are developing so-called small combat space vehicles; some samples already are ready and being tested. They are capable of carrying out a stealthy maneuver to approach our spacecraft and disable it, in any environment and at any time," Nestechuk said at a round table discussing the 40th anniversary of the US Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) at the Russian upper house.

According to the Russian official, US small combat spacecraft can be launched as part of multi-satellite low-orbit communication systems, such as OneWeb or Starlink, on board the reusable X-37B-type carrier rocket, which is already in frequent use today.

"This, in turn, forms the threat of a space attack on our country's critical spacecraft. What does it mean to knock out a spacecraft that provides communications, telecommunications? It means to lose control, first of all, over the strategic nuclear forces, something we cannot allow to happen," Nestechuk stressed.

The SDI, an anti-ballistic missile program to shoot down nuclear missiles from space, was proposed by former US President Ronald Reagan in a nationwide television address in 1983. The initiative was aimed at creating a space-based shield that would render nuclear missiles obsolete.

Read more: Russian Proton-M rocket launched into space with satellite: Roscosmos

US stirs up risks of turning outer space into real battleground

In the same context, Konstantin Vorontsov, deputy director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Non-Proliferation and Arms Control Department, indicated that the "risks of turning outer space into a bridgehead of aggression and warfare have indeed taken particular shape" due to US activity.

Vorontsov explained that "many goals, objectives and studies that were in place within that framework [the US Strategic Defense Initiative] and looked like something unbelievable 40 years ago, are still relevant for Washington and are already implemented in practice at a new round of technological development."

The senior Russian official noted that similar to the 1980s, the US and its allies today are taking active steps to deploy weapons in space and use outer space for warfare.

"They do not stop trying to define outer space as a new arena of rivalry and conflicts between states while stipulating US dominance and superiority as the underlying goal and designating Russia and China as the fundamental opponents," he said.

Read more: Soyuz MS-22 cooling system leak 'impossible' to repair in space

Kiev's civil space infrastructure may become a legitimate target for Russia

In a similar context, Vorontsov threatened that the civil infrastructure used in space for military purposes by Ukraine may become a legitimate target for Russia's retaliatory strike.

"We underscore that such activities are in fact an indirect participation in armed conflicts, we indicate that such a quasi-civilian space infrastructure may be a legitimate target for a retaliatory strike," he stressed during a speech in Russia's Federation Council.

Vorontsov pointed out that the "provocative use" of civilian satellites raises questions in the context of the Outer Space Treaty.

It is noteworthy that last week, SpaceX accused Ukraine of breaking the agreement between the two parties and using its satellite internet technology, Starlink, for "offensive purposes".

"Ukrainians have leveraged it in ways that were unintentional and not part of any agreement," indicated Gwynne Shotwell, the company's president and top senior, second to Elon Musk.

"We know the military is using them for comms, and that's ok. But our intent was never to have them use it for offensive purposes," Shotwell said, without adding further details on how the Ukrainian military is using the system during its offenses.

Read more: Satellites used against Russia may become legitimate targets: Ministry