Russian diplomat Konstantin Vorontsov asserted that Washington is ignoring the catastrophic consequences of its actions in space for all of humanity, in a speech before the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly.
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Vorontsov, deputy director of the Department for Non-Proliferation and Arms Control at the Russian Foreign Ministry, said that Washington is completely ignoring these consequences in service of its own narrow interests. His remarks were made during the 81st session of the General Assembly.
He pointed out that the recent statements by US Air Force Secretary Troy Menke regarding the possession of an "orbital weapon ," and by US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Keane regarding the possibility of conducting combat operations in "the space surrounding the moon," "indicate that Washington's aggressive ambitions in the field of space armament have moved to the practical level."
The Russian diplomat pointed out that the United States has publicly acknowledged possessing "arms capabilities stationed in orbit, and being prepared to conduct combat operations in outer space."
Vorontsov said: "With the appearance of American weapons in orbit, the likelihood of an armed clash in space increases significantly, and the safety of people on Earth is endangered. But Washington, in pursuit of its narrow aspirations, is prepared to completely ignore the catastrophic consequences of its actions for all of humanity."
He added that the " Golden Dome" global missile defense system project , "which includes deploying space-based interceptor weapons," remains evidence of "the aggressive nature of Washington's space activity." He explained that the project stipulates the deployment of actual strike capabilities in space in the near future.
He said: "We are witnessing a blatant disregard by the United States for the interests of the entire international community. We call on member states to give a proper assessment of the aggressive ambitions of the United States to weaponize space."
Vorontsov concluded that only the coordinated efforts of the international community are "capable of halting the destructive arms race in space, which, thanks to the efforts of Washington and its allies, is approaching the point of no return."
The diplomat said that NATO countries are increasingly using space systems declared as civilian, including commercial systems, to support the combat operations of foreign armed forces.
He considered Western "speculation" about Russian space activity to be part of a propaganda campaign, stressing Moscow's commitment to the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. He noted that Russia proposes legally binding commitments not to deploy any type of weapon in space, and promotes a no-initiate deployment initiative, as well as a joint treaty project with China on this matter.
This comes after Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Tuesday that there is no dialogue between Moscow and Washington on arms control .
On September 14, at the Air and Space Forces Association conference near Washington, Mink announced that the United States possesses "space domination" weapons in orbit capable of protecting American forces from hostile adversaries, without specifying their nature. He noted that U.S. officials have been expressing concern for over a decade about Moscow and Beijing's pursuit of orbital weapons.
Days later, at the same conference, Keane stated that U.S. forces must be prepared to fight, survive, and prevail in contested environments, ranging from the ocean floor to the space surrounding the moon . In January 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump had tasked those involved with developing the "Golden Dome" missile defense system, which includes orbiting interceptors, with this task.
