U.S. accuses Russia of launching space weapon into orbit

Russian officials derided the claims as 'fake news' as the two countries continue to butt heads at the UN over the issue of space weapons.

The U.S. has accused Russia of launching a space weapon into low-Earth orbit, but Russian officials dismissed the assertion as “fake news” as the two countries continue to spar over the issue of space weaponry.

Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder held a news briefing Tuesday and claimed that the space weapon can attack other satellites. His comments mirrored earlier claims made by the U.S. ambassador to the UN on Monday that Russia had launched an anti-satellite weapon.

“Russia launched a satellite into low Earth orbit that we assess is likely a counter space weapon, presumably capable of attacking other satellites in low Earth orbit,” Ryder said. He added that the weapon was launched into the “same orbit” as a U.S. government satellite.

The U.S. is monitoring the situation and stands ready to protect the “space domain,” Ryder said. The satellite weapon was allegedly launched on May 16 on a Soyuz rocket from Russia’s Plesetsk launch site.

Moscow, however, denied the U.S.’ claims, deriding them as disinformation.

“I don’t think we should respond to any fake news from Washington,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency.

“The Americans can say whatever they want but our policy does not change from this,” said Ryabkov, adding that Moscow had “always consistently opposed the deployment of strike weapons in low-Earth orbit.”

The Kremlin confirmed it launched a rocket on May 17 that had a spacecraft on board but gave no details about what it was for.