MOSCOW (BNS): A day after Russia and the United States signed a new START treaty; the commander of Russia's space forces said Russia has no plans to deploy weapons of any kind in space.
According to Russian news agency Ria Novosti, some analysts have suggested that Russia could deploy space weapons as part of measures to counter controversial U.S. plans to build missile shields in Europe.
"We have no such plans," Maj. Gen. Oleg Ostapenko told a news conference in Moscow. Signing of the new treaty would not affect the activities and plans of the Russian Space Forces, he added.
"The plans and tasks set by the commander-in-chief, the president, have not changed and are being developed at a determined pace," Ostapenko was quoted as saying.
He added that changes would only be made if "breakthrough technologies emerge that affect the plans and budgets."
United States and the Soviet Union have developed several orbital weapons systems during the Cold War but it was largely halted after the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and the 1979 SALT II Treaty came into force.
In 2008, Russia and China proposed a draft international treaty to ban the deployment of weapons of any kind in space and to prohibit the use of force against space objects, the report said.
No plans to deploy weapons in space: Russia
Article Posted on : - Apr 10, 2010
Other Related News
US keeping close eye on Russian naval drill
The intelligence services of US and other Asia Pacific countries have been monitoring the Vostok-2010 wargames being conducted by the Russia Navy.
The Indian Air Force, in its flight trials evaluation report submitted before the Defence Ministry l..
view articleAn insight into the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft competition...
view articleSky enthusiasts can now spot the International Space Station (ISS) commanded by Indian-American astr..
view article