The UN Security Council rejected Russia’s resolution on the non-placement of weapons in space

The UN Security Council rejected a draft resolution prepared by Russia calling on all countries to stop deploying and using any weapons in space. Of the 15 Security Council members, seven states voted for the Russian project, among them China, Algeria and Guyana. Seven other countries, including the US, UK and France, opposed it. Switzerland abstained from voting.

A resolution is considered adopted if nine members of the UN Security Council vote for it and none of the permanent members has vetoed it.

Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN Vasily Nebenzya statedthat the rejection of the draft resolution proposed by Moscow proves the US intention to militarize space.

One member of the British delegation, in turn, called Russia’s counter-resolution “a cynical attempt to divert attention from reports that Moscow is developing a new satellite with a nuclear device.”

At the end of April, Russia blocked a draft resolution prepared by the United States and Japan on a ban on the deployment of nuclear weapons in space in the UN Security Council.

Nebenzya then explained his refusal to support the document by saying that, according to him, the ban should apply not only to nuclear weapons, but also to other types of weapons of mass destruction. The United States refused to include in the text of the resolution the clause proposed by Russia and China on the refusal to deploy any other weapons in space.

In turn, US Deputy Permanent Representative Robert Wood said before the start of voting that if Russia votes against, the question arises: “do they have anything to hide.”

The United States believes that Russia is developing space-based anti-satellite nuclear weapons, the use of which could cause chaos and disruptions in all communications – from military communications to telephony.

Moscow has denied developing such weapons.